Ravenheart
by TheKeybladeForger
Summary: Vlad wasn't used to having to fight on someone else's behalf, but Owen was the rare exception to this rule. Now that Owen was about to become his adopted son for real Vlad planned to do whatever it took to protect him. Not only from the ghosts seeking to use his power to their advantage, but the demons Lilith was bound to send after him just like before. (Sequel to "The Grimoire")
1. A Beautiful Lie A Terrible Truth

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (11/29/2017):** I shocked myself when I wrote that super long chapter for The Grimoire but hey, sleep deprivation makes you do weird things! I've unfortunately been sick since Thanksgiving _(no thanks to my co-workers, bless their little hearts though, getting me sick in the first place but when I came home early after going to work still sick on Monday, I didn't want to re-give this nasty bug to them either so I've been stuck at home sick. I'm finally starting to get better though)_ but I guess SOMETHING good came out of all of it. Really, I probably could have easily kept going on to write several more chapters but the story ended up longer then I expected it to anyway so in this case I decided to split it up. The last story was mostly about Owen and Vlad warming up to each other and Owen receiving the rest of his powers. This time it'll be about overcoming their struggles and as an apt phrase, fight off their inner demons, aka move on from what happened in their respective pasts. Compared to Owen, Vlad's got it easy since he only has one lifetime to worry about! Owen has who knows how many and then there are those ghosts who know exactly who he is that are going to try and take advantage of Owen's inexperience as we just saw Nocturne do in the final chapter of The Grimoire. Since this story has grown so huge I want to see if I can pull off a trilogy simply because even in the sequel there will be very little to do with Lilith although we are going to see more in the way of her underhanded tricks and demon underlings coming after them now that Owen has achieved full necromancer status. At any rate, welcome to the very first chapter of Ravenheart! Enjoy!

* * *

 _~Chapter 1~_

 _A Beautiful Lie; A Terrible Truth_

* * *

He wasn't sure how, but Vlad knew something was terribly wrong. So once he led Danny to the room Dani was in to let them hash things out, he hastily excused himself to go check on Owen. He'd left the boy alone for too long as it is. But rather then actually going to his room, in order to avoid any more emotional outbursts if Owen was still awake at this terribly early hour of the morning, Vlad decided to go to the security tapes. And yes, he did have a camera installed in Owen's room as well but Vlad swore he would ONLY check those recordings in emergencies and any unrelated footage was set to automatically be deleted. Ah the wonders of technology. Though now wasn't the time for Vlad to pat himself on the back for inventing such a thing.

While realistically he should have enabled the voice recording as well Vlad didn't want to completely invade Owen's privacy and he was confident about being a rather skilled lip reader anyway thanks to his line of work in the real world. You'd be surprised what people thought they could get away with muttering under their breath when they thought no one could hear what they were saying. Even without his ghost hearing Vlad could read lips just as easily as an open book, in SEVERAL different languages. Still, when he saw what was on the recent video, Vlad berated himself for not enabling the voice recordings after all!

At first everything seemed normal, although Owen was obviously still restless and at first was pacing around the room like a cornered animal before giving up and climbing into bed to punch his pillow a few times only to be reminded that something hard was behind it that did not make the impact any softer. Shaking his hand and wincing, Owen removed the offending object which of course was The Grimoire which he stared at for a good long while as if deciding something then turned around to start reading it. That look on his face meant Owen was plotting something, Vlad could tell, which only set him more on edge. Just what was Owen trying to accomplish?

Fearing the worst, Vlad glanced at the time stamp before continuing to watch Owen intently read The Grimoire and switch pages every so often to double check something. A bead of sweat tickled down his brow as Vlad watched with a mixture of dread and curiosity about what exactly Owen was planning to do that required such concentration. What he saw happen next made Vlad knock his chair over from standing up so quickly, gripping his desk so hard that it threatened to break and groaned in protest...

The first thing to alert Vlad that whatever Owen was doing was serious was the fact that while supporting The Grimoire in one arm so he could read it, he summoned a blue flame to his hand and looked as though he was about to perform some sort of ritual. He had certainly left himself enough room for it too as a circle of flame similar to the one Owen created around the demoness to banish her appeared moments later after he changed into his necromancer form. That's when it dawned on Vlad what Owen was doing. The fool was trying to summon a ghost! And Vlad had no doubt he knew which ghost it was, but, he was still trapped in the thermos somewhere in the Ghost Zone as far as they knew so Vlad allowed himself to relax a bit. Surely this ritual had failed so right about now Owen was probably fast asleep after exhausting his powers like that, for which Vlad was very grateful.

Pausing the video, Vlad pulled his chair up and put it back into place before sitting down again and releasing the breath he'd unconsciously been holding in this whole time. There was still some time left before the video was over so Vlad decided he should watch the rest of it just to be sure that everything was alright and his fears were unfounded. After all, none of his alarms had gone off and they could now detect necroenergy as well as demonic energy so there shouldn't be anything to be concerned about.

Or so he thought.

Vlad had become so confident that whatever Owen was trying to do would surely fail that when a figure appeared out of the circle his chair was once again knocked to the floor with a loud clatter. He saw Owen fall to his knees but he otherwise seemed alright and the unknown specter made no move to attack him, he just looked at the boy contemplatively. That ghost, he looked familiar so after hastily pausing the video again Vlad instructed his computer to cross analyze the ghost before them with his records and other ghost lore files to see if there was a match.

"Analysis complete. Search results indicate that the ghost in this image goes by the name of Nocturne, the Ghost of Sleep. He is an Ancient Class ghost of unknown origin. His powers are as follows. Standard ghost powers: intangibility, invisibility, flight, teleportation, regeneration, ghost ray, size change based on his energy absorption intake, superhuman strength, and pyrokinesis. Unique attributes: sleep manipulation, dream energy absorption which acts as his primary source of power, omniscience to dreams and the subconscious, sleep inducement, and lastly the summoning of ghostly underlings known as _"Sleepwalkers."_ Known encounters with this ghost: zero. Power level: unknown. Threat ranking: undetermined. Classification: ancient/unique class. Current allegiance: undetermined. Origin: unknown," the computer voice informed him, though it was now a standard female voice rather then specifically Maddie's anymore since as Owen pointed out before that using the voice of Danny's mom was very creepy.

"Computer, did the security system pick up ANY energy readings besides Owen's when this Nocturne appeared?" Vlad asked, still shaking in anticipation and fearing that this ghost had been yet another demon-controlled trap set up for Owen.

After a moment, the computer buzzed and responded, "Negative. All systems indicate that no unidentified ghosts have entered the perimeter, although there was a temporal disturbance in the specified location indicating that a ghost portal was opened in that area."

Vlad blinked, thinking that surely he must have heard wrong. "I'm sorry. Would you kindly repeat that?"

"All systems indicate that no unidentified ghosts have entered the perimeter, though records show that there was a temporal disturbance indicating that a ghost portal was opened in that area," the computer repeated, simplifying the phrase after repeating it a second time.

"Impossible," Vlad gaped, staring at the circle Owen created with a whole new sense of respect and awe of what the boy had managed to accomplish with his power alone. "Computer, compare the readings of this portal to the one he created to banish the demoness that infiltrated my castle."

Various readings appeared on the various screens around him but even at first glance Vlad could see how much the algorithms matched up. To confirm his findings, the computer gave him the results, "Analysis complete. After cross referencing both energy signatures, a match has been confirmed. Both necroenergy circles act as naturally created portals, one leading to the Ghost Zone, the other to an unspecified location. The portal from the current algorithm readings leads to the Ghost Zone and in addition it also creates its own temporary space to confine any otherworldly entity found within to prevent any dangerous ones from attacking the creator of said portal. The previous portal was also reinforced with a force-field created by necroenergy, though the readings show that the recent portal's barrier was noticeably weaker by over 75%."

"No," Vlad gasped, returning to the video, begging that the computer was wrong about this. "No no no, please. Tell me Owen is still safe in his room. He has to be! I just got him back!" Feeling a rising panic, Vlad sent a duplicate straight to Owen's room while he finished the video.

It looked like Owen managed to recompose himself if only for a short time to talk to the ghost in front of him. Good. At least Owen still knew better then to show weakness to a ghost he'd only just met, especially one that could either be a potential ally or enemy based entirely on how he carried himself. Vlad could tell he was at his limit though and showing disturbing signs of fatigue. Before long, Owen swayed dizzily and was forced to sit down on the edge of his bed so as not to collapse again outright in front of Nocturne. Considering Owen had just created a portal out of thin air without any assistance or much sleep, it was a miracle he managed to completely form it at all in his condition.

Unfortunately, it was obvious that Nocturne sensed his weakness and was quick to exploit it when it dawned on him who his summoner was. Vlad recognized the power hungry glint in his red eyes as he carefully manipulated the situation and began breaking down the barrier keeping him confined without much effort while keeping Owen preoccupied with whatever he was telling the boy. Owen seemed to catch onto something being amiss though as he stood up again despite his weariness and confronted the ghost with a stern look on his face. Then he recovered The Grimoire from the floor to check something judging by the new expression on his face when Nocturne spoke again, presumably introducing himself at last.

Even Vlad noticed the sudden change in the air as a fine blue vapor began leaking out of the barrier into the room, skillfully hidden by the already blue glow of the flaming circle Nocturne was confined within. He was exerting his power without lifting a finger and Owen was already starting to succumb to their effects, his eyelids drooping and his eyes clouding over. After that, Nocturne pointed in the direction of Dani's room and Vlad could tell Owen was about to lose consciousness any second now. Hopefully though the barrier would hold and then-

Vlad had been staring so intently at the screen that he didn't notice his own duplicate return until it waved a hand in front of his face. Whirling around, Vlad almost attacked it for daring to interrupt him when it dawned on him that he'd nearly attacked himself for no good reason. Well now that would have been embarrassing on so many levels. Still, the forlorn look on his duplicates face only confirmed his worse fear. Now, he had to see for himself what it had discovered before watching the last bit of footage which had undoubtedly finished playing while Vlad was preoccupied with his duplicate.

Reabsorbing it, Vlad processed its memories and frowned. Owen's room was empty aside from the remaining portal but that could mean anything. Perhaps Owen managed to send Nocturne back after all and was coming to confess to him the extremely foolish thing he'd done so they could figure out how to close the portal again. There was any number of possibilities Vlad could consider besides the obvious one. But Vlad kept denying it with all his heart because, damn it if he failed to foresee this too then all of his carefully placed precautions clearly hadn't been enough to protect his beloved son-to-be! He failed him again. And Vlad would have to resort to begging Daniel for his help yet again even in the midst of the whole dying clone dilemma...

Rewinding the video, Vlad resumed where he left off and his blood went cold when he saw Nocturne effortlessly glide out of the circle to loom over Owen, raising one of his clawed hands over his head and dusting him with a fine sparkling powder that Vlad could only assume was quite literally dream dust. The effects were almost immediate as Owen's eyes fluttered shut and he fell into Nocturne's welcoming embrace. That alone alarmed Vlad but his shock only deepened when Nocturne's power literally seeped into Owen's necromancer form, changing its appearance so that his previously white hair was a pale shade of purple like Nocturne's horns and his arms and legs adopted the same starry-skied appearance.

It was quite beautiful on him really, and had the situation not been so dire Vlad would appreciate this new twist on his form. However, the fact that Owen's form had physically changed could only mean that he was weak enough for even a ghost to effect him with their powers and take control. But what could Nocturne possibly gain by putting Owen to sleep? He wouldn't be able to use his powers like that. Unless, was Nocturne planning to hand him over to someone else? Or was Nocturne merely a cover and it was Azrael up to no good again?

Either way, the last few seconds of the video confirmed that Owen had indeed been carried into that portal, which mean he had to reach that portal before it closed again since it would be the closest one to wherever he'd been taken. Taking a moment to write down a hasty note to leave for Danny, Vlad shouted for his vultures and ordered them to deliver the message before he shot like an arrow directly to Owen's room, diving head first into the portal seconds before it flickered out of existence...


	2. The Sound of Wings

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (11/30/2017):** Sorry this is kinda short, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

* * *

 _~Chapter 2~_

 _The Sound of Wings_

* * *

"Dani? You ok?" Danny asked, shaking her slightly on her good side. He didn't want to believe what Vlad said, but knew the man well enough to understand when he had no reason to lie at least sometimes. Besides, Dani really wasn't looking too good. There was a sheen of greenish sweat on her brow and that could only mean one thing. That she really was-

"Did...did I do good daddy?" she muttered in her sleep, leaning into Danny's touch and curling up against him, a tear rolling down her pale cheek when the Vlad in her dreams said no and turned his back on her.

It was the same nightmare. Always the same one. And every time Dani fought back instead of submit to Vlad, she melted and woke up screaming. Dani had tried everything to make them stop but without fail, either choice she made resulted in the same thing. Her end. So Dani thought that maybe, just maybe, if she could save this new clone and confront Vlad, she could force him to help her. She could trick him into thinking she'd never tell him where he was unless Vlad saved her. Even now Dani knew she wasn't doing half as well as she pretended to be. But she didn't want Danny to worry about her either, she wanted him to be proud of her at least whether Vlad ever was or not.

Worried because she was way too warm, Danny used a weak amount of his ice powers to cool her down, petting her hair in the process to try and help her even just a little. This, if anything, proved that there was something seriously wrong with her after all. Danny wasn't sure what else he could do but this was something at least. As for the rest, there had to be SOME way to convince Vlad to help save her. If it came down too it Danny was ready to throw any and all future lessons with the only other halfa out the window to ask him to save Dani instead as his return favor for helping him save Owen. No, there wasn't even an _'if'_ about it. That's what Danny was going to do as soon as Vlad got back. He was the only one who knew anything about Dani and her condition.

"Geez, what's taking him so long?" Danny grumbled after looking at the nearest clock. It was already 2am and he seriously couldn't afford losing out on any more sleep. Something has been going on behind the scenes making the ghosts more active then usual, like animals who sensed a storm coming that wanted to get as far away from it as possible.

Unfortunately, coming here to their world was the only way to do that...

"Vhat does he think ve are? Carrier pigeons?" a thick accented voice grumbled just as both of their ghost senses went off in sync and Dani opened her eyes when the trio phased down through the roof.

It was those three vulture ghosts Vlad was always using despite them being so old even by ghost standards, honestly, you'd think Vlad would consider them obsolete or something. Owen had seen them a few times in passing but like most of Vlad's lesser minions they'd been told to leave him alone as much as possible. He'd dealt with more then his fair share of wayward spirits trying to strike up a conversation with him when the boy clearly wanted nothing to do with them. Although it wasn't like Owen hated ghosts. Back then, he wasn't as used to them being around constantly.

"Vell vould you razer be fighting ze ghost boy and getting your tail feathers scorched off?" the eldest of the three vultures challenged, rubbing his rear and wincing as if recalling the same event actually happening to him in person.

The third one, who always wore shades for some reason, glanced down at Danny and sighed, "Let's just get zis over vith so ve can go back to ze game already."

With a nod, the ringleader of the trio handed a piece of paper to Danny and cleared his throat, "Mr. Masters had to take off in a hurry so he didn't have time to tell us much so listen up. In regards to ze girl, he said to bring her somevere safe for ze time being and if there is novere here then take her to ze Ghost Zone and ask for someone there to help. Ze rest is in ze note." Looking back up at the other two, he called, "And zat is zat. Let's go boyz!"

"Hey wait! Where's Vlad?" Danny demanded but they were already long gone. "Figures. I come all the way out here and yet he's allowed to run off whenever he pleases."

He was staring at the paper when Dani said in disbelief, "You...you really did come. But why? What's going on? Is all that stuff he told me true? Was I...not good enough?"

Turning around sharply, Danny finally noticed she was awake and smiled. "Dani! You're awake! I was getting kinda worried. Do you have some kind of freaky ghost viris? Vlad told me your healing powers stopped working until Owen gave them a boost. Speaking of which, how's your arm? Still broken?"

Shaking her head, Dani frowned and pointed out, "Forget about me, what does the note say?"

"Ok ok! I'll read the darn note! Wow, you're not even my real cousin but you act as pushy as my sister," Danny sighed, still smiling since she seemed to be ok for the moment at least. Reading it out loud, Danny's face fell when he saw what Vlad had hastily written down, "Daniel, Owen opened a ghost portal to try and contact Azrael but summoned another ghost by mistake. His name is Nocturne, the Ghost of Sleep. He took Owen and I am now in pursuit. If you can, please search Owen's room for The Grimoire and see if there's anything else in there about this ghost. Assuming The Grimoire is still there, keep it close until I get back or hide it somewhere safe. Knowing you you'll want to play hero as usual though and if that's the case then as dangerous as it may be I'd advise you to bring Danielle with you. The pure ectoenergy might even do her some good. And if you need an extra incentive it's too dangerous to leave her there alone right now. I leave it up to you to decide."

When he finished reading, Danny crumpled the paper and snorted, "Pfft, yeah right. You tell me it's my decision and then you pluck on my heartstrings like that. Once a fruitloop, always a fruitloop."

* * *

Nocturne couldn't help but smile while observing his sleeping prince. To think that such a frail looking creature could harness such power was unfathomable to most. But he knew better. Of all the ghosts the boy could have summoned it was fortunate that he had summoned someone who understood his worth and didn't attack him on sight. After sifting through Owen's memories as he slept in the peaceful folds of a dreamless slumber Nocturne witnessed how powerful yet inexperienced the child was...

True, he had fought a few times and was as clever as they come, but Owen was also carrying an immensely heavy truth that weighed on his mind and over his heart to the point of crushing his spirit. Seeing this, Nocturne felt genuine concern for him and while his plan was to use that rare power to his advantage he was going to stay true to his word. If anyone deserved some peace, Owen did. And besides, for his plan to work Owen needed to stay asleep for as long as possible, providing Nocturne with enough dream energy to mount his invasion of the human world.

This dream had to be perfect. It had to be so alluring that Owen wouldn't want to wake from it any time soon. Nocturne would wake him, eventually, because there were grander things in store for this young necromancer here in the Ghost Zone that even he would have to abide by. Still, as of late more and more ghosts had come to his domain claiming to feel a strange unease and restlessness that even to a ghost was bizarre. Something was stirring. Something old. Something dangerous. And the only one that stood between them and this shadow, was the boy sleeping before him in a large moon-shaped bed covered in his finest black silk sheets.

Really, he probably should have placed the boy in one of his dream pods that would keep him in a deep slumber with a steady supply of sleeping gas but Nocturne didn't believe it was necessary. Nocturne heard his silent wish. A wish for a night of sleep unbroken by nightmares. Deep and healing. Because if Owen couldn't protect himself, how was he supposed to protect that man...? The man who'd given him hope and a reason to continue living?

Nocturne had heard tales of him, the elder halfa, but had yet to have the pleasure of meeting him. And because he knew that Vlad Plasmius was not someone to be trifled with, it was all the more vital to absorb as much pure dream energy from Owen as he could, from present dreams to the dreams of days long passed. Glancing down at him, Nocturne noticed the slight twitch in his hand as Owen called out Vlad's name and stirred.

"Don't worry Owen. I will protect your sleep, even from him," Nocturne murmured softly, pouring more of his power into the sleeping spell so Owen would submerge even further down into the depths. "I promised you my finest dreams, did I not? Just wait a little while longer then it will be ready for you. All I need are the right memories from you to build them from. Though I wonder which you long for more, the carefree days of the past, or the bight future you fervently hope this Vlad can bring?"

Once Owen was still again and at rest, Nocturne continued to study the thoughts of his subconscious, weaving a beautiful dream from them like a tapestry that would soon envelope Owen like a soft blanket. This would take some time but this world was vast and it would take anyone who knew of Owen's disappearance ages to find them whether or not the portal had stayed open or not. Just to be safe though, Nocturnal created a few Sleepwalkers to test his renewed strength then ordered them to watch over the boy and alert him if there was any changes. There were preparations to make for his other visitor no doubt too that were far less welcoming then Owen's...

* * *

Wings. He could hear...wings flapping. Or was that the swish of Vlad's cloak in the wind? Wondering which one it was, Owen opened his eyes only to find himself floating in a sea of endless stars. There was nothing else there but the small shimmering that Owen assumed were stars until they started to move gently and dance around him like little fireflies.

It wasn't until one came closer that Owen realized it was a small flame, not a star or a firefly, but it was so small that it could easily be mistaken for the light of a candle without the actual candle. Reaching out, Owen captured the small flame and almost immediately he was overcome by a brief vision of an old man staring out to sea, bracing his eyes against the sunset turning the sky a thousand different shades of red as the sunset.

"It won't be long until my final sunset huh?" the elderly man chuckled, somehow at ease despite the morbid subject. "Who will be the next one to carry the torch I wonder? I wish him luck either way. This road has been long for all of us, but, there is no such thing as something that does not end. Everything ends. Even moments like this. So like life, shouldn't we treasure them while they last...?"


	3. A Living Nightmare

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

* * *

 _~Chapter 3~_

 _A Living Nightmare_

* * *

Owen, though still disoriented and very much asleep found himself examining each of the memories that floated towards him with an idle curiosity. Because that's what these small flames were, they were echos of his past lives. Deeply buried memories at that that Nocturne was currently using to collect information about Owen and dream energy from. Truth be told, the dreams Nocturne found that were the most powerful were usually one of two kinds: either a dream born of the heart's true desire or of a particularly memorable moment, or the final dream acting as a prelude to someone's death.

While Nocturne played some part in creating dreams it was the person or ghost's own subconscious that did most of the work for him. He simply gave them direction and used his powers to put the mind and heart at ease to optimize the dream energy he could absorb from them before they woke. Seeing as most people tend to be easily startled awake if haunted by nightmares, Nocturne realized early on that utilizing nightmares was hardly the best way to harvest dream energy...

Besides, absorbing the more nightmarish energy born from fear was the Fright Knight's foray not Nocturne's. He didn't have much of a taste for fear despite obviously being a ghost. If anything Nocturne was more like the mythical sandman who aided in the making of good dreams with his dream dust and in exchange absorbed the dream energy produced by the dreamer. However, desperate times come for desperate measures. For too long Nocturne was content just getting by absorbing the energy he needed here from other ghosts, but now it was time to reclaim his dominance over the dreams of the mortal world. And this child would be the catalyst marking his return as the ruler of all dreams.

No doubt the elder halfa was going to be in no mood to talk so persuasion was out of the question according to the memories Owen had regarding this Vlad Plasmius. The man was quite devious and a ruthless fighter so Nocturne would have to be careful. Still, he would be no match for him once Owen began his true dream which was only moments away from completion. This was certainly some of his finest work indeed. It was almost a shame to give it away so easily.

If only Nocturne realized sooner that what awaited him was not a dream to be fulfilled, but a living nightmare once Vlad got his hands on him. Clearly the rumors downplayed just how dangerous Vlad could be when he was enraged. So just because Nocturne was old it seems, it did not make him as wise as he thought...

* * *

If the ghosts thought whatever unknown force that was stirring was frightening, then clearly they hadn't seen what Vlad had done to the ghosts that had been foolish enough to impede his progress delving deeper into the Ghost Zone. The very air around him seemed electrified as Vlad exerted his power to show everyone he wasn't messing around today. Vlad was DONE playing the good guy. This Nocturne was going to pay dearly for stealing what was rightfully his!

As for Owen, he better pray that he caught Vlad in a better mood once this was over because he was seething inside. Did Owen STILL have so little faith in his intentions that he felt the need to do this behind his back? Was his approval worth risking everything over just to prove himself worthy of Vlad's love? That idiot. Vlad was the one who needed to prove himself, not Owen. Owen was perfect, though still clearly suffering from many of his old fears and doubts.

Despite his anger Vlad had to admit that the fact that Owen created a working portal like it was nothing was nothing short of astonishing. It reminded him that yet again, Owen was a very old and powerful being despite now only being a 15 year old teenager. And an emotionally scarred one at that. It was a miracle he kept himself together for the last two years completely alone...

Now Vlad understood the reason why Clockwork was asked by one of Owen's previous lives to play such an important role in pushing him and Owen together, knowing some of the challenges the next owner of his soul would doubtlessly have to face. Or really, anyone who was equipped to handle his supernatural gifts would have sufficed but luckily for Vlad, there were none. And there was also no one better suited to making sure that Owen would meet the person that could help him through all this only when his true awakening as a necromancer started then Clockwork.

There was no way Owen would have been able to deal with all of this on his own. If it wasn't for his encounter with Vlad Owen would most likely be out on the streets right about now hiding from the rest of the world in a misguided attempt make sure he didn't hurt anyone as the raw power within him slowly overwhelmed his frail human body and eventually burned him out. Vlad could only imagine how his birth parents would have taken the revelation that their son, while human in body, carried an unnatural soul capable of such things. Needless to say they probably wouldn't have been able to do much of anything even if they did accept how different Owen was from everyone else.

Pausing only for a moment, Vlad surveyed his surroundings and noticed that unlike most of the Ghost Zone, it was much darker here and there was less ectoenergy in the air. That was to be expected though, given how ghosts naturally produce ectoenergy and there would be less excess energy wherever there were fewer ghosts. Not to mention Nocturne thrived in the dark and silence where no one could disturb him or his dreamers. That's what Skulker told him at least when Vlad took a small detour to gather some more insider information on his target...

* * *

" _Plasmius? What are you doing here?" Skulker asked in surprise when his security cameras spotted the halfa at his doorstep, energy still crackling off his skin that made it obvious that this was no business trip. He was on the hunt. And Skulker did not envy the one who was his prey._

 _Reigning in some of his energy to put Skulker a little more at ease, Vlad growled, "Someone dared to steal something of mine and I will not rest until it is back in my possession. Now tell me Skulker, what do you know about a ghost by the name of Nocturne? Specifically in what sad little hole here in the Ghost Zone he's trying to hide in."_

 _Crossing his arms, Skulker replied, "Nocturne eh? Now there's a name I haven't heard in ages. On occasion I go to him for sleeping gas and such to help in the hunt but for the most part he's harmless. In fact many ghosts have gone to see him since things have been restless around here lately. I'm still searching for the reason behind that. But what in the world would he want to steal from YOU of all people?"_

" _That is none of your concern," Vlad said in a low voice, keeping his tone civil but no less serious. "Just give me the information I need so I can be on my way. I'll even pay you double the usual fee."_

 _Skulker couldn't help but chuckle at how quickly Vlad just up and offered him so much money and commented, "Well well well, whatever he stole from you must be valuable indeed. Very well, I'll help you." Uncrossing his large metallic arms, Skulker turned away from Vlad and began heading towards his base up in the skull-shaped cave that acted as the landmark of his island, then he motioned Vlad to follow. "This way, I should still have a copy of the map I originally used to find his domain. I don't need it anymore since I have the location programmed into my exosuit but I always keep my old maps on hand just in case. By the way," allowing himself a knowing smirk, Skulker also offered, "If Nocturne is your prey might I suggest a few precautions you might want to take? Acquaintance or no, I try to keep a few weapons that work against them for...insurance. One never knows when an ally can turn on you. Not that I suspect YOU ever would but I would be a fool not to be prepared for that eventuality."_

 _For once, Vlad agreed and despite his impatience to get back on the trail smirked, "I would expect nothing less from the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter. I also have the same precautions in place. Thankfully though our interactions were mutually beneficial so I see no point in turning on one another. Because trust me when I say-" his aura flared again so that Skulker got the message and judging by how he recoiled from Vlad and took a step back, he got it loud and clear, but Vlad continued darkly, "-you would not want ME as your enemy Skulker. Unlike Danny Phantom, I'm not afraid to put you six feet under a second time. I may very well have found a way to do just that. So Nocturne better pray that he is sensible enough to know when he is beaten...and when he is facing a fate WORSE then death."_

* * *

"Whoa...so this is what it looks like in here. Creepy..." Dani commented, making sure to fly close to Danny as they made their way through the Ghost Zone the normal-to-them way through Vlad's portal.

He'd been right about one thing. Dani was looking much better now and her arm had even healed once they entered the Ghost Zone. She was still a bit sore but if push came to shove Dani would at least be able to defend herself now. Not that Danny was planning on putting her anywhere near danger so their first stop was going to be the home of whichever ally of his was closest. Danny wouldn't be able to focus on helping Owen if he was constantly worrying about his clone-cousin. Hopefully she would understand where he was coming from and could stay put for a few hours.

"Yeah, I know," Danny chuckled, trying to keep his cool as they flew while still scanning the area for threats. "The first time I came in here I was thrown in Walker's jail and had to bust out by teaming up with most of my enemies. It was NOT a fun experience. Thankfully I have more allies here now that I actually like to visit from time to time. Especially Clockwork. I think you'll be safest if you stay with him for a bit."

Colliding with his back, Dani complained, "Aw! You're not taking me with you? But I can help you now. See!" she waved her arms and then summoned some ectoenergy to her hands, "All better!"

Turning around, Danny took her by the wrists and shook his head, "No Dani. The best way you can help me right now is by staying safe, ok? I haven't seen you in months but when Vlad called me I wasn't sure what to expect. I hoped you were fine but you're not Dani. The only reason your arm healed is because Owen helped give your powers a much needed boost. I'm not going to lie to you Dani but you're pretty sick. You know that already, don't you?" When Dani averted her gaze, Danny took that as a yes then let go of her wrists then placed his hands on her shoulders. "Dani, I'm not saying I don't believe in you, far from it. But I need to be able to focus if we're gonna beat the ghost that took Owen. And also, even though we were both wrong about him being a clone I know your heart was in the right place. If anything goes wrong then Clockwork will point you in the right direction. So if it helps, think of yourself as our trump card. Think you can manage that?"

Happy to hear that he still thought she could be useful, Dani smiled and hugged him, nodding, "Save the best clone for last. Got it."

* * *

It was amazing the sheer amount of memories Nocturne's spell had called forth from the depths and even more amazing was how unfazed Owen was seeing them. At least at first. After awhile Owen started getting bored and it dawned on him that he didn't know where the heck he was. That only served to remind him dimly of his last kidnapping and almost immediately, Owen realized that something was very wrong here. But what? He couldn't remember anything after going back to his room and reading The Grimoire for some reason. Had he been looking for something in there? And if so, what...?

Straightening himself up, Owen tried feeling for the presence of a memory he hadn't already seen in search of answers. There was this sudden intense tightness in his chest telling him something was wrong about all of this. This place itself was wrong. Sure Owen was in his own mind but since when was it so...blissfully blank? Usually his dreams were full of self-doubt or he woke up in a cold sweat stifling a strangled cry of pain or fear so having his dreams feel so calm all of a sudden was unnerving.

"Show me...when did I start dreaming?" Owen asked, willing his memories to gather closer and solidify into a single pillar of flame in the darkness. And once all of the flames had gathered, a strange glittering black flame was all that remained.

Cupping his hands together like he had with the other small flames, Owen waited for the memory to float to him and show him a vision of that hidden moment. While Nocturne's influence over dreams and the subconscious was formidable indeed he'd forgotten who exactly he was dealing with. And more importantly, WHAT. Nocturne managed to catch him during a moment of weakness, but now that he was rested and was starting to think more clearly, his spell was weakening which is what allowed the memory Owen asked for to return to him.

He remembered everything.

Watching the flame go out once the vision faded, Owen ran his hands through his hair and grimaced. This was bad in so many ways. Vlad was going to kill him for doing this behind his back and getting himself caught by such a conniving ghost! There had to be some way to fix this. But first, he had to figure out a way to wake up before Nocturne cast another sleeping spell over him. Hopefully Owen would be strong enough to resist now that he was in his right mind again but either way, Owen had a feeling that no matter what happened next, it was going to be a living nightmare!


	4. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

* * *

 _~Chapter 4~_

 _Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night_

* * *

Owen tried several different methods of _'waking up'_ but nothing was working because aside from the tiny memory fragments floating around him there was LITERALLY nothing here to work with! No matter how far he ran, all Owen found was an unbroken darkness besides the glow of his flames and the light that radiated from inside of him. There might be one sure fire way to wake up but Owen wasn't willing to risk it...

Usually, if you were moments away from death in your dreams, such as falling from a cliff for example and you're about to hit rock bottom, that was enough to scare you awake. But this dream felt so vivid, so REAL that Owen was afraid he was going to be one of the rare few who actually died from being killed in their dreams because of their body going into shock.

That left only one other option that was probably as much if not far more risky, and that was to Astral Project himself out of his still sleeping body. He had a feeling that ever since his anatomy changed it might be a little safer now to leave his body behind without it reducing his vitals to near nonexistent but there was no way to know for sure unless he tried it. From what Owen understood, he'd essentially be going full ghost only while outside of his body because unlike Vlad and Danny he didn't have an ounce of ghost DNA in him. Only his soul and other naturally born necromancy powers made what he could do possible. Not to mention Owen was a Living Ghost meaning he has previously died before and part of him still classified as a ghost.

Hopefully Nocturne wouldn't catch on until he tried absorbing more dream energy from him because without his soul, Owen wouldn't be able to dream, he'd be nothing but a useless empty shell. The only question now was how far Owen could travel outside of his body before he was automatically pulled back to prevent his body from withering without the life force his soul provided. Owen was confident that he wouldn't die from attempting this but it would still leave him vulnerable and there was nothing to stop Nocturne from taking his body hostage and forcing him to return to his sleep by threatening to do him bodily harm if he refused. Besides Owen would have to return at some point anyway to avoid the repercussions of staying separate for too long...

Either way this was going to be a challenge to pull off.

Thankfully, Owen knew enough about ghost powers that he wouldn't be completely defenseless while in a pure ghost state but this would be his first time trying to consciously Astral Project. The last time this happened Owen didn't notice he'd left his body until he came back to Vlad's room to see Vlad trying to shake his empty body awake. That time he only went into a mild shock from the experience and was better prepared to deal with it now that his powers weren't going out of control as his awakening drew near. They'd settled down pretty well and Owen was constantly training to work on his control while building up some endurance so hopefully this wouldn't be too bad.

Owen just had to make sure no one caught him. Other then that all that was left to worry about was how this world would effect him. Because yes, Owen knew he was in the Ghost Zone now and that didn't bode well for him. Vlad and Danny knew their way around but he didn't. Heck, Owen was surprised he was even able to enter the Ghost Zone in the first place because of his anti-ghost powers. At first he thought that the ectoenergy here would put too much strain on him because he'd be unconsciously trying to repel it but to Owen's surprise he felt just fine under the circumstances. Being here almost felt...nostalgic and if not for his current situation, as if it was eager to welcome him and it made Owen feel strangely at home. Although this might only be the effects of Nocturne's spell trying to keep him docile and submissive.

"Ok..." Owen began, taking a deep breath then making another mental list of what he needed to do if he managed to pull this off. "Since I don't know how long I'll be able to last before I'm pulled back here I need to find some help. If I can find a non-hostile ghost to pass along a message to Vlad or Danny then I should be ok. Perks of sensing the intentions of others huh?" He laughed humorlessly because that obviously didn't work all the time if the owner of the presence believed what they were doing was justified then continued, "Assuming I do manage to get out of here I hope I can figure out how to turn invisible otherwise it's going to be interesting trying to sneak out of here since this guy probably has goons everywhere. Well, no point delaying the inevitable, lets do this."

Trying to remember what he read about this power and the way he felt the first time he did this, Owen pictured himself stepping out of a doorway or taking off his shirt. His body was the shirt which he could always put back on at any time or the house he could return to so long as he had the key. An involuntary shiver ran up his spine at the idea of leaving his body behind like a puppet without strings at the mercy of his captor but Owen tried not to worry about it. Nocturne wanted his dreams, he didn't want him dead, so harming him would only be a last resort to get Owen to obey him...

Owen was rewarded for his efforts when a familiar floaty feeling slowly enveloped him and Owen felt that same sensation of detachment. Before long, the real world started to fade back into focus and Owen found himself in what looked like the bedroom of some Gothic princess hovering over his body. The sudden appearance of the presence of another _'ghost'_ alerted the Sleepwalker's standing guard who looked around for it's source but Owen was ready for them and before they could turn around, he willed himself to disappear from sight. And judging from their confused grunts, it worked.

This feeling was still unsettling, as was looking at himself somewhere other then a mirror but Owen had to move past that and get going before Nocturne caught on to his little trick. It was obvious that he knew about the existence of necromancers and their powers but Owen couldn't say for sure if he knew from experience or from reading his thoughts back in Vlad's castle. Thinking about Vlad only made him that much more determined to fix this so Owen took off as soon as it looked like he was in the clear since he didn't know how long he would be able to stay invisible either due to his inexperience and the fact that unlike the other two wouldn't be able to change back human without his body.

Right now, Owen was a denizen of this realm and bound to it's rules more or less. Without the protection of his anti-ghost blood Owen would have to rely solely on the protection of, well, his soul. Not even five minutes had passed and already Owen began to feel the tug of his body trying to reunite their two halves. But not yet, Owen had to find help or at least figure out a way to wake himself up from the outside. His flight was unsteady and Owen kept losing his balance a lot but he had some idea of how to fly if only from watching Vlad and Danny do it. That would have to do until Owen reached an area with more ghosts he could try making contact with.

Glancing back at Nocturne's domain, Owen tried to memorize what it looked like before moving on, hugging himself and shivering as the sheer vastness of the Ghost Zone before him really struck home. It looked so hopeless and bizarre. But Owen knew that things were only hopeless if he gave up again, like he'd nearly done a few hours ago...

That wasn't like him at all, but he'd let all the pressure about their uncertain future get the better of him. Vlad wasn't going to let him fall after everything they've been through though, of that Owen was dead certain. No, as a family, they'd get through this somehow and he'd make sure it never happened again. Owen already knew he made a huge mistake. But, now that he understood his true feelings thanks to Vlad's advice Owen was going to do everything within his power to get home.

* * *

As usual, Clockwork was there to welcome Danny like he'd been expecting him all along. Dani was a little nervous at first with the idea of staying with a stranger, ghost or otherwise, but if Danny trusted him she saw no reason to suspect him of anything bad. And besides, Clockwork didn't treat her like some child he'd been asked to babysit but rather an old friend as if they were already acquainted. In fact Clockwork decided to show her that this meeting was one of many futures he'd been hoping for and was happy to see it come to pass.

When both of them asked why, Clockwork simply told them, "The fact that she is here means that another detrimental future has been averted. Everything is going according to plan and this stands as but more proof that Vladimir is changing for the better. I'd show you the events of that future but I don't want to alarm young Danielle since she is already wary of his intentions for her. I can assure you both that this could not have gone any better for either of them. If all goes well, you may yet convince Vlad to further correct his previous misdeeds and answer for the heartache he has caused you both."

"Really?" Dani said, her eyes sparkling with renewed hope. "Do you really think Vlad's going to help me after all?"

Clockwork settled back into his neutral posture before replying, knowing better then to make promises he possibly couldn't keep since it wasn't his choice to make. While Clockwork hoped people would make the right choice, as had been the case when Danny almost went ahead with the cheating on his test that would have resulted in the birth of his evil self, he knew better then to overplay his hand in the events to come because there could be disastrous consequences. After his last excursion in aiding the young necromancer more directly, the Observers had of course seen fit to remind him of his other duties. Namely in watching over Danny so the same future wouldn't result through alternate events which was always a remote possibility. Still, the future of this remaining clone that was born as a result of that terrible future being avoided seemed to fall under the same category so Clockwork couldn't see the harm in watching over her too.

"Dani, if there's one thing you need to know about Clockwork it's that if he doesn't tell you something it's for a reason. Trust me. I think we both know that Vlad has other things on his mind right now anyway. But he did go out of his way to suggest that the ectoenergy here might help you and it did so I'd say that's a good sign. Wouldn't you Clockwork?" Danny smirked, giving his young clone a sly wink.

Clockwork didn't respond and _'distracted'_ himself with adjusting the dials on his staff but Danny didn't miss the small smile Clockwork allowed to break his formerly neutral expression. When he did respond, Clockwork was addressing Dani and said, "You're welcome to stay in my tower as long as you need to Danielle. And as long as we're only observing current events I don't see the harm in monitoring their progress as young Daniel and Vladimir make their way to Nocturne's keep. It shouldn't be too far from here since like me, Nocturne's prefers the less lively -no pun intended- corners of the Ghost Zone. A number of the more ancient ghosts tend to live out here though I'd advise against disturbing them. Oh, and before I forget," turning to Danny, Clockwork asked, "Daniel, would you like for me to make you a short cut to where Vladimir is or do you think you can manage on your own?"

Waving him off, Danny shook his head. "I'll be fine from here. As long as I know Dani is safe I'll be able to focus better on the battle."

"If I may," Clockwork began, thinking of the best course of action if only for Vlad's sake since he was the one who needed to learn what it truly meant to fight for someone else's behalf rather then his own self interest, then after summoning an image of Nocturne's keep, suggested. "While your heroics are appreciated I believe the best thing you can do for Vladimir and Owen is make sure Nocturne doesn't find out his dreamer has escaped. Look."

Pointing out Owen's small frame unsteadily flying away from the keep, Danny was about to ask what Clockwork meant by that since it seemed pretty obvious that Owen was doing fine when he noticed him flickering in and out of existence as if struggling to retain his form. But that couldn't be right. Owen was human so why would his body-!

"Wait a minute, you're not telling me he just-!" A new sense of urgency filled his heart and Danny shot up into the air. "Well that's just great. Owen just threw away the only advantage we have here as humans! I'd better get him out of there like you said before Vlad freaks out finding him like that. Take good care of Dani and I'll be back!"

Pausing only to give them both a small wave, Danny took off like a bullet straight for Nocturne's keep. Meanwhile, Owen continued to struggle against the strain of keeping is soul and body separate the further along he went. So far none of those oogie boogie wannabe's had come after him but similar to the situation with Azrael that time in the woods, the more distance Owen put between them the better. And as hard as it was, Owen was proud of himself for finding a way out of the situation he'd brought down upon himself. After this, Owen could leave the rest to Vlad and prove that despite his recent breakdown, Owen trusted Vlad with his life.


	5. Unprovoked

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (12/4/2017):** For story purposes I made another ghost oc for this chapter, and trust me when I say there's going to be a few of them sprinkled here and there but this one is probably never going to be mentioned after this since I kinda made them up on the spot. I didn't want to make Owen's escape too easy and the Ghost Zone IS a dangerous place if you're caught unprepared. Other then that I just really want to write about Vlad showing off his own dangerous side for the first time in ages. And the fun part is he's being his old scary evil self to protect Owen! Naw! Anyways, I wouldn't complain if someone liked this random ghost enough to draw. I was kinda inspired by the teenpunk Vlad au fanart I've seen. And sorry this is another short chapter but I had a long day and didn't manage to write as much as I hoped to. Don't worry though, we'll get back to Vlad soon enough and oh boy there's going to be hell to pay once Vlad meets this Nocturne face to face.

* * *

 _~Chapter 5~_

 _Unprovoked_

* * *

Pick a direction and go, sounds simple right? But in reality, at least in this realm, it only made Owen more lost then he already was and no closer to finding help then he was an hour and half ago. The only good news about all this was when his appearance slowly faded back to normal, well, HIS normal anyway in regards to his necromancer form. That meant Owen was regaining some control over himself at least. Not that it mattered, because holding himself together was getting increasingly difficult...

"Vlad..." Owen muttered like a prayer, stopping to rest on a floating piece of land. With a sigh, Owen rubbed his arms and looked around, feeling lost because that's exactly what he was.

He was startled out of his reverie when something hit him squarely in the back, knocking him forward into the empty air where he floundered a moment, recovering from the blow. Then an angry voice sneered down at him and said, "Yo, pipsqueak, who said you could hang out on my turf?"

Wincing slightly, Owen turned and saw the ghost of some punk sporting a spiked leather jacket and way too many belts hanging over his pants like thick spiderwebs crisscrossing over his hips. His skin was a grayish lavender while his eyes were a poisonous purple and his hair was oily black just like his jacket. Frowning, Owen mustered the energy to reply grumpily, "Well how was I supposed to know that? I don't see your name anywhere. And the pickings must be slim if your turf composes of a single floating rock."

"What'd you say to me?!" the punk ghost snarled, charging another attack of purple energy into his hands.

"Look," Owen huffed, jerking as the pain in his back made his vision go white for a second as his form blurred again and he put up both hands as a peaceful gesture. "Next time someone wanders into your turf, if you'd be so kind as to tell them to leave rather then shooting them first, they'd be more inclined to spread the word not to do it again." Feeling annoyed though, Owen dropped his arms added in a very tired and angry tone of his own, "God, I was just...catching my breath alright?! I'm not staying here in this sad little corner so if you want it, be my guest."

Knowing better then to turn his back on the obviously hostile ghost, Owen began slowly retreating backwards when the ghost rushed at him, grabbing him by the collar then lifting him up so Owen had no choice but to dangle there as the ghost replied haughtily, "You must be new around here if you don't know what that _'sad little corner is'_ it's the cornerstone marking the beginning of my turf. See that carving you decided to sit your wimpy little butt on? The spider web with the fangs laced into it? It means this is Venom's territory. And if you think I'm going to let you get away with trespassing then insulting me on top of that completely scot-free then you've got another thing-"

Gripping his arm tightly, Owen felt the echoes of this guy's human past rush through him and he muttered tiredly, "I guess you died as you lived, with poison in your veins didn't you? When you turned 18 you ran away from home to get away from your abusive parents and joined a gang. And one day, you were poisoned by a rival member that wasn't happy with how quickly you were raising in rank and how impressed your boss was with your nimble fingers. It was a slow, painful death and it felt like your blood and the air in your lungs had turned into ice while white hot needles were being driven into every inch of your skin. But even so, you always tried to emulate your boss even in death because he was a much better man then your father had ever been and for once there was someone in your life who actually gave a damn about you. I know the feeling...painfully well..." coughing, Owen shivered again and asked, "You don't have to prove anything to me, Venom. I'm just trying to get home to the man I want to call my father some day too. Please! I have to get back to him before I'm caught again!"

Loosening his grip only slightly, Venom stared at Owen with wide eyes. How in the hell did he know any of that?! Was this freak a mind reader? And what was that about being caught _'again?'_ Could this kid seriously be another one of Walker's escapees or something? If so then any enemy of that stupid warden was a friend of his...

But first things first, Venom could at least hear the kid out to make up for shooting him in the back like that. They'd had way too many trespassers around here lately and to tell the truth he was so done with it and took his frustration out on the next ghost he saw. There was something odd about this kid and it wasn't just his looks, but Venom wasn't interested in any of that. First, he wanted answers. Then he wanted Owen gone.

"Ok fine," Venom sighed, letting go of Owen who coughed and gripped his throat, still shivering and flickering in and out of focus. Geez, was this brat a newly-dead or what? It looked like he was having a hard time controlling his invisibility properly. Shrugging his shoulders though, Venom stuck his hands into his pockets and bent over, breathing in a low menacing voice, "Because I'm such a forgiving guy I'll let it slide this time. But first you're gonna tell me who's out to get you and who the hell you are. You've got five minutes."

"I...I don't think I have five minutes," Owen explained, his eyes starting to roll slightly. "My name is Owen and I was kidnapped by a ghost named Nocturne. He's holding my body hostage in his keep and I need to...I need to tell Vlad what happened and where I am before I can't keep myself separate anymore. I managed to escape but-please, if you could just get a message to him somehow-"

"Hold up!" Venom asked, his eyes wide with realization, "By Vlad you can't mean Vlad PLASMIUS can you?"

Owen nodded, although he was confused about why that should matter. "Yes. W-why?"

Running a hand through his hair and letting out a nervous chuckle, Venom's face went -if possible- deathly pale and he hastily helped Owen to his feet then brushed him off while apologizing in rapid fire which only confused him more. "Why didn't you tell me sooner that you were that necromancer kid he's taking care of? I thought you looked strange even for a ghost but that explains why. Man oh man, I do NOT want to get on Plasmius's bad side. So uh, yeah, I can send one of my boys to pass the message but are you sure you can't get back to him by yourself? Then again, you do kinda look like crap right now. Hmm, well I guess I can help you keep Nocturne off your back if that'll help and you can wait here for him. Oh and...can we just forget about the whole shooting you in the back thing...? It was an accident I swear! I had no idea you were someone that important!"

"Knock it off!" Owen shouted, backing away from Venom and glaring at him suspiciously. "How did you know I'm a necromancer? And how-no, wait, of course you'd know Vlad. But that's-!"

Grabbing Owen by the arm, Venom suddenly pulled Owen behind him and smirked, "No more time to chat pipsqueak, looks like we've got company."

Glancing over his shoulder Owen saw at least a dozen Sleepwalkers heading their way. Great. Looks like Venom had delayed him long enough for Nocturne to finally catch on and send someone after him. But there was no way he was going back quietly. At the same time though, Owen knew he was too weak to fight back especially after that direct hit he took from Venom's last attack.

"Get out of here kid! What're you standing there gawking for? Isn't your old man waiting for you?" Venom snapped shoving Owen away again. "I still don't know how you knew all that stuff about me but one thing is for sure, I'm ALREADY a better man then my pops ever was so now I'm gonna prove it. Sorry I lashed out at ya kid. Now get going!"

Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, Owen nodded and took off again, forgetting to turn invisible which resulted in a few of the Sleepwalker's breaking off from the rest of the group to give chase. Meanwhile, Venom got to have some fun and use these pitiful sacks of dream dust as punching bags to properly vent his anger on rather then some innocent bystander. Then again, if Owen was under the care of Plasmius, he could only wonder how _'innocent'_ he actually was...


	6. Come, Let Us Away

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (12/6/2017):** Just a quick note, I don't know what powers Nocturne's Sleepwalkers actually have so I gave them a weak version of his flame powers so they would be a little more formidable. Other then that, brace yourselves for the tearful reunion coming up! But we'll see if it's full of tears of joy, or of an enemy begging for mercy from the most terrifying ghost in the world who wasn't even a full ghost! Vlad Plasmius!

* * *

 _~Chapter 6~_

 _Come, Let Us Away_

 _(Chapter inspired by the song In The Name Of Love by Martin Garrix_

 _& Bebe Rexha)_

* * *

At long last, Nocturne's masterpiece was complete! It had taken him longer then usual to weave this dream from the threads of Owen's memories but he could not afford to make any mistakes without the risk of waking his prince too soon. Speaking of which, Nocturne noticed an ebbing flow of dream energy coming from him so perhaps it was time to draw forth more memories to distract the boy before he bestowed this perfect dream upon him...

Easily teleporting to Owen's bedchamber, Nocturne smiled wickedly upon seeing the serene look on his face. When he'd first succumbed to Nocturne's power his expression had been pained and troubled even in his sleep, but now it was calm and peaceful. And unlike before there was absolutely no movement to betray any feelings of distress. Aside from the steady rhythmic raise and fall of his chest as he breathed, Owen lay completely still.

"It won't be long now. I only need a little more energy from you then I'll be ready to begin forming more of my Sleepwalkers to build up my army as we invade that other world. Their dreams won't be nearly as...handcrafted as the one I've made for you though. Creating them will keep me busy for awhile but that is a welcome change to the stillness of the past few millennia," Nocturne then approached Owen, holding the dream in question in his palm where it pulsed softly and lazily drifted down to Owen's body. "Like you I longed for change. For something to break the cycle I was trapped in and now it finally has. All thanks to you child. As a reward, I hope this humble dream will satisfy all of your desires until the time comes for you to-"

When the dream spell was about make contact with Owen, the boy convulsed as if something had struck in his dream yet his facial expression never changed and he settled back into place. Troubled by this, Nocturne reached for his consciousness only to find absolutely nothing. That couldn't be right. While Nocturne had indeed put him into a deep dreamless sleep as soon as they entered his domain Nocturne altered his dream so that while still blissful and vacant Owen would be aware enough to dream so that Nocturne could draw both energy and memories from him.

Deciding to take a more direct approach, Nocturne attempted to overshadow Owen himself only to be blasted back as his anti-ghost powers flared out. Berating himself, Nocturne scowled, "Ah, that's right. Necromancers are typically immune to overshadowing unless they're in a weakened state. The child was before tired yes and emotionally compromised but it would seem that I gave him perhaps a little too much rest. That doesn't explain why I can't feel ANYTHING from him anymore though. No thoughts. No dreams. Nothing. Its as though...he were empty."

Approaching Owen a bit more warily, Nocturne lifted his head from the pillow with one hand and placed a clawed hand over his brow with the other he attempted to directly absorb dream energy from him and again there was nothing. Not even a weak echo of energy like the last drops of water from a glass. That's when Nocturne realized that somehow Owen, while leaving his body behind, managed to escape in a pure spirit form!

Lowering Owen ceremoniously back into bed, Nocturne shouted, "Sleepwalkers! Form!"

At his bidding, a little over a dozen formed before him and after scanning the room to be sure that he had their full attention Nocturne ordered, "Go now and find the boy! Do not let him escape! Use whatever means necessary to put him back to sleep even if you must attack him. And should anyone get in your way, give them an eternal slumber!"

Moaning in response the Sleepwalker's took off after the telepathic traces Owen had left behind that were just enough to point them in the right direction. After that, the race was on to find Owen who was heading Vlad's way at this very moment. As fate would have it, Owen had made it about halfway to where Vlad was taking a short cut to Nocturne's keep thanks to Skulker's map when he met Venom and the blow he had taken made his body react through the connection they still shared that was instinctively trying to reunite their two halves. If it hadn't been for that, maybe Owen would have gotten a little further...

* * *

He might have imagined it, but Vlad could have sworn he heard Owen call out his name and the moment he did Vlad immediately took off in that direction, abandoning the path on Skulker's map. Usually Vlad would have never been so thoughtless but his heart was screaming louder then his vengeance-fueled mind that was currently thinking about just how many painfully slow ways he was going to make Nocturne suffer. That, and something about the way Owen said his name caused some sort of...compulsive reaction that Vlad could only attribute to Owen being a necromancer. It was like he was being drawn to Owen like a moth to the flame, only this flame wouldn't harm him anymore unless Owen willed it or his intentions were anything but benevolent towards him. There was no fear of that though since all Vlad felt was an overwhelming fatherly concern.

Well it was true that Vlad was angry with Owen at the moment but that hardly counted as wishing any ill will on him. No, Vlad was only concerned about his safety and was troubled that Owen had regressed so suddenly back to his old ways of silently enduring the burden alone until it became too much for him. And Vlad would have none of that. Owen was going to be his son so he'd better start acting like it and realize that Vlad was never EVER going to send him back to Mistveil for ANY reason.

Vlad had already been sorely tempted to speed the adoption process along several times now so that Owen wouldn't feel so much pressure about keeping up the _'everything is completely normal'_ act whenever they had another surprise interview. To someone like Vlad, twelve months did not seem to be such a long time especially since a little over a month has already passed already and it still counted towards that end even though it'd only been a two week visit at the time. But to Owen, after suffering for two whole years alone already, he couldn't bear the thought of living a lie for one more day now that he could finally be himself around someone.

He was afraid of losing it all at the peak of his happiness when something finally was going right in his life for once. And most of all, Owen was deathly afraid to openly admit his love for Vlad without someone taking advantage of that love to try and destroy his heart again. More importantly, they'd try to kill Vlad and Owen couldn't let anyone else get hurt or killed because of him.

When would Owen get it through his thick skull that Vlad was more then capable of defending himself? Perhaps he needed a demonstration? At any rate, it was true that those last two demon attacks did indeed catch Vlad off guard but now he was well prepared for most of the threats to their lives and future happiness. What Vlad hadn't been prepared for was the reemergence of Danielle who seemed to have reopened a well of bitterness that Vlad was having a difficult time keeping out of his heart. That, and Vlad kept forgetting that Owen didn't just have powers similar to a ghost's, but he also knew about or was learning how to use magical spells and incantations too...

All Vlad wanted to do was to start a new life with Owen in Amity Park, growing closer to him as well as his little badger whom Vlad saw in a son-like capacity. Although with Danny, Vlad supposed he saw himself as more of a mentor to the boy since he was the only other halfa in the world. That and Vlad hoped that Daniel's ghostly experience over the past year or so would in turn help Owen since they were both only in the beginning stages of learning how to use their respective powers more actively.

Besides, Owen needed friends his own age too, and having someone who could also hold his own against demons and hostile ghosts would help put Owen's mind at ease when he started a normal daily routine of going to school and coming home to Vlad for more training. Until Owen was strong enough to combat them on his own in order to protect any future friends that would become a part of his unusual life, Vlad had to make sure he was protected at all times. Whether it was by Daniel, or Miss Gray. That was the only way Vlad was going to let the boy out of his sights short of hiring a professional bodyguard that was an ex-member of the Guys in White or something.

Vlad felt like he was getting close now and could practically feel the waves of panic curling off of Owen as the boy suddenly appeared in his line of sight trying to outrun what Vlad could only assume were Nocturne's Sleepwalkers. At first Vlad was surprised at how well Owen was flying despite this being his first time before realizing it might just be instinctual because he was in danger and his Ancestral Memories were probably kicking in to help him. They didn't even know yet if flight was included in his basic necromancy powers anyway. Either way, now that Vlad had found him, it was finally time to show this Nocturne exactly who he had chosen to cross when he stole his son from him. Whether it was official or not, Owen was HIS! And he'd be damned if anyone was going to harm a hair on his head or force Owen to do anything against his will ever again!

* * *

These guys were relentless and it didn't help that Owen was on the verge of giving into the pull and returning to his body again. Owen tried everything he could think of to lose them after Venom distracted most of them but there was nowhere to hide here! They were too focused on the task at hand too to fall for any tricks Owen might have come up with.

It was hopeless.

But even so Owen wasn't going to give up that easily. Not anymore. He was going to keep fighting for as long as he could, and that included when he was forced back into his body because Owen thought that surely their abrupt reunion would be enough to jolt him awake. Honestly Owen berated himself for not thinking of that sooner but he was worried that while he was technically a ghost himself that his powers wouldn't work on his own body, at least, nothing harmful if he tried to shock himself or something. He still didn't know enough about this ability to be sure either way of how this worked. His plan had been get out, ask for help by sending an SOS to Vlad, then try to hold his own until Vlad reached him. What Owen didn't account for was how cunning, ruthless, and resourceful Vlad was both inside and outside of the Ghost Zone...but boy he was about to find out!

After trying and failing to out-fly the Sleepwalkers, Owen whirled around and tried to give his other powers a try as a last resort, shouting, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Summoning flames to his hands, Owen shot fireballs at them at random over his shoulder -which still felt sore- not worrying so much about the accuracy of his aim because all he was tying to do was get away. By sheer luck he managed to strike two down but the other four quickly regrouped and encircled him on either side, waiting for an opening to knock him out of the sky.

Charging a basic attack of their own, they aimed emerald flames at him and Owen instinctively tried pulling up a shield but it kept fading in and out just like his form and the frequency was getting even more sporadic now that he was nearing his limit. That, and Owen had a bad feeling that Venom's attack was...well, quite literally venomous. Because ever since Venom's attack struck him he couldn't stop shivering violently which only made that much more difficult to fly straight...

Most likely, it was actually a side effect of staying outside of his body for too long. His soul as it were was completely exposed in this form and as a result Owen's ghost sense was giving him a sensory overload similar to when Danny's ghost core started acting up. Only this was strictly Owen's ghost sense expanding and sensing EVERY ghost in his immediate vicinity, making it hard to focus or refrain from automatically using it in this place where there were ghosts galore. That and he didn't have a body that he needed to keep warm right now so this feeling, it literally could be felt right down to his core. A core that was now throbbing painfully in his chest, alerting him to the danger all around him. Before long this death-like chill was going to make it impossible to move at all.

Moments later, Owen practically fell out of the sky when the shivering became particularly violent. It was over. Owen could already feel the air shift as several attacks were aimed at his falling form to ensure that he was rendered helpless. There was nothing Owen could do to stop it so he simply closed his eyes and let himself fall, hoping beyond hope that Vlad would save him, and braced himself for the pain that was sure to come.

However, it never did.

Several things happened at once. First, Owen heard the _'dying'_ moans of the Sleepwalkers as something struck them from an unknown attacker. _Great, it's probably a stronger ghost looking to take advantage of me too or who knows what. Either that, or Nocturne's here and he's strong enough to reclaim me without them._ Even as Owen thought this, not daring to open his eyes, there was a swish of cloth and strong but strangely gentle hands grabbed his shoulders, pulling him against their chest as they charged another attack to finish the job.

This scent, it couldn't be...

He hadn't been able to tell earlier because of his ghost sense detecting even the faintest trace of ectoenergy which made it difficult to define any one ghost in the area but now that it was right there enveloping him there was no mistaking it. It was Vlad. Vlad had found him.

"What am I going to do with you?" Vlad sighed with anger still laced in his voice that was not aimed at Owen.

It was a strange feeling, not being able to cry because Owen didn't have any tear glands at the moment, so a choked sob escaped his lips as he folded his hands over Vlad's steely grip around his torso. Clearly he half expected Owen to bolt the moment the danger had passed and wasn't taking any chances. Even so, it was like everything else faded away and Vlad's comforting warmth was all that mattered. Owen couldn't stop shivering, but at least now there was one ghost here that had no intention of hurting him. Vlad was surely going to give him a verbal lashing for letting it come to this, but none of that mattered. He was here, and everything was going to be alright now. All that was left to do, was tell Vlad the truth before he vanished before the man's eyes, although there was so much more he wanted to say and apologize for...

Turning his head to look up at him, Owen opened his mouth to reply when Vlad all but gave him a full body hug from behind with both arms now the moment the Sleepwalkers were gone. Unfortunately, that jostled the wound on his back and Owen cried out in pain, seeing stars dance before his eyes that had nothing to do with Nocturne.

Startled, Vlad let go of him just enough to turn him around and asked worriedly, "What's wrong?! Did those pitiful flour sacks hurt you? Don't worry, they're gone now. Just tell me where-"

Owen shook his head though and grabbed Vlad's shirt, balling his hands into fists as he told him, "I'm s-sorry Vlad. I'm sorry for e-everything. But-but I don't have much time. I h-have t-to go back."

Vlad's expression hardened and despite seeing him wince again, Vlad snarled, "Go back where? Owen, you are NOT going anywhere but back home with me is that clear? This isn't open for discussion!"

Letting out a hallow laugh as his form faded in and out again, Owen smiled at him sadly and knowingly, "You're right, i-it isn't. I...I know I messed up b-big time, but, I also know you're g-going to save me no matter what it takes. I can rest easy knowing that until you bring me home."

"What are you talking about? And what's wrong with your form? Why does it keep flickering like this?" Vlad asked, his panic overshadowing his anger again at the moment. "Tell me this instant!"

"I Astral Projected o-out of my-my body, Vlad," Owen explained, curling against the warmth of Vlad's core despite himself to fend off the cold shivers wracking his entire form. "It was-it was the only way I c-could think of to get a-away when I couldn't wake myself up. N-Nocturne still has it with him in his keep. I managed t-to get away w-when I was attacked by a-a ghost whose t-territory I wandered-d into by m-mistake. But-t I knew. I k-knew you'd fine me either w-way. I just h-had to d-do my part to m-make sure that happened instead-d of just-t waiting around to be s-saved. I'm sorry I-I can't hold on much l-longer, even though-h you're right here w-with me now..."

"No!" Vlad snarled, grabbing him again and practically shaking the boy. "You are not doing this to me again do you hear me! You have no right to-!"

Looking up at Vlad again, Owen sobbed dryly though his eyes were literally burning with renewed hope, "I know-w. I'm sorry V-Vlad. I tried to-o do e-everything I could to make it home to w-where you were w-waiting f-for me to realize-e I'd made a h-huge mistake t-trying to run away from my problems-s. If nothing-g else, I wanted-wanted to get w-word to you somehow-w that I'd been-been taken again. What I d-did when I was a-alone in my r-room, trying to s-summon Azrael, it was-s stupid of me. But still, I did it all for you. Because I l-love you, dad..."

Before Vlad could protest again Vlad's arms suddenly became empty when Owen burst into a cascade of ethereal sparkling blue flames that marked the end of his Astral Projecting limit. And at that moment Vlad wasn't sure what shocked him more. The fact that Owen had vanished before his eyes. Or that he'd finally said the one word Vlad had been longing to hear ever since he made it his dream to become a father above all else and for someone to call him by that name.

To call him their father and mean it, with all of their heart.


	7. All In Good Time

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (12/10/2017):** Word to the wise, but 2am is not a good time to decide to vacuum your house or whatever the heck my neighbors are currently doing. Not that I wasn't already having a hard time getting to sleep but yeah, now it's impossible with the extra noise. So here we are with yet another sleep-deprived-fanfic-author written chapter! Sorry in advance if it makes no sense or I start rambling. Probably gonna post it when I'm more awake...

* * *

 _~Chapter 7~_

 _All In Good Time_

* * *

"I can see you have questions," Clockwork observed with his usual mirthful tone that he reserved for particularly amusing moments such as this. "Ask what you will and I will answer what I can."

Dani looked from him to the screen again as if not believing any of what she'd just seen. This was freaking VLAD they were talking about! There was no way he'd be this overprotective of and distraught over losing someone like this after tossing her and the other clones to the proverbial curb as it were. The only reason he looked so heartbroken and shocked was because Owen slipped through his fingers yet again, right? Surely Owen was just some brainwashed kid that Vlad wanted to _'own'_ since he failed to clone Danny properly and couldn't control her so he'd given up on cloning and had gone to the next level of crazy to get a new son. That had to be it! Why else would he-

"Danielle," Clockwork began a little more sternly as if seeing the gears in her head moving as easily as the actual ones surrounding them but he didn't return her dumbfounded stare and continued to monitor Vlad's progress through the Ghost Zone. "You're a smart girl so I believe you already know the truth. And holding Vladimir's actions just now in contempt solely because of how you were treated is only denying that truth. Ever since left his side, Vladimir's approval is something that you've instinctively sought after, even long after you declared your independence. In your case this longing is not because of any conscious choice, but rather because that is part of the fabricated emotions towards him that he previously programmed into your subconscious from the moment of your creation. He did this because Vladimir is afraid of being forsaken again, of being betrayed by his loved ones, even if that love was merely an illusion he created for himself. Keeping you and the other replica's completely complacent and loyal only to him was a key factor in his plans. He used all of you to test the same process he planned to use on the other clone that was a near exact copy of the original. Unlike you however, regardless of whether or not he reached completion that child wouldn't have possessed the capacity to think for himself. Sadly, none of his love would have been real either or given any opportunity to grow on its own so he would have essentially been a mere physical embodiment of the son Vladimir wished Daniel would be. If one cannot think for themselves, feel any true emotions other then a false devotion, then how can they ever hope to form their own heart let alone a soul?" Smiling a little more obviously down at her, Clockwork continued, "Questioning the world you live in, expressing and exploring your emotions freely, choosing how to you wish to live, it is all a part of what sets us apart from mindless creatures or drones. Even ghosts, though some have unknown beginnings, all started out this way whether they have ever _'lived'_ as humans or not. Everything starts from nothing. But if nothing changes then there is no room for personal growth and we essentially become stagnant and in time, are doomed to fade away like water evaporated by the bright sunlight. Those two, in their own ways, have stood stagnant for far too long out of fear or unwillingness to change. So with my help and that of a few old acquaintances events were put into motion to bring these two together to foster such changes in both of their lives. In time Vladimir will learn how to accept that for all his power, his actions have consequences, and Owen will learn how to stop shouldering all of his burdens alone when so much rests on his young shoulders. And perhaps through him, Daniel will learn the same lesson. They will learn that they are not alone in the world, and neither are you..."

Rubbing her arm nervously, feeling like she was being taught a lengthy life-lesson by a grandfatherly figure of sorts, Dani sighed. "I still don't get it but as long as Vlad's going to help me get better then I don't really care. I'm tired of being scared of melting all the time even from using the tiniest amount of power. Tired of hiding. Just knowing he's not going to hunt me down and waste me anymore is a huge relief. But still, does Owen...really mean that much to him? Vlad's never looked at anyone like that before. Not me. Not even Danny. I honestly didn't think he was scared of anything."

Patting her head, Clockwork explained, "No one is exempt from feeling fear at some point in their lives any more then we are exempt from the struggles that come with it. It's perfectly natural to feel confused or frightened from time to time. But I assure you, if all goes well, he'll save more then one innocent before his _'time'_ comes and yours will also be greatly delayed."

"My time?" Dani asked, tilting her head in confusion. "You make it sound like you're not talking about numbers anymore."

Motioning to the monitor again with his staff, Clockwork repeated the moment between Nocturne and Owen where he said, _"Perhaps you already know this but long ago, I served Death, whose power you have been entrusted with. In exchange for their dream energy I gave comfort and counsel to the dying or those who were simply in need of it. That was my sole duty. But when the veil fell and the Ghost Zone was formed, I no longer had access to the dreams of mortals and was forced to get by harvesting energy from my fellow ghosts which as you can imagine did not provide me with nearly as much strength..."_

"Much like Nocturne, I also played a vital role in overseeing the fates of those who would one day become a part of this world or the world beyond that humans have taken to calling _'heaven.'_ I know it by another name. When the Ghost Zone was created, in the absence of Death's leadership over this realm I am no longer charged with directly overseeing the lifespans of humans and alerting him to their _'time of death,'_ just the special few who have or will make an impact on the future. Your creation is part of the result of averting one future in hopes of guiding certain people along a better one. I have no power over the choices people make, but I can offer guidance and a gentle nudge in the right direction. I am willing to do the same with you now that your fate has become interwoven with theirs. They're on the right path, we just need to observe and pray that they succeed," with a sigh, Clockwork shifted the image to focus on Danny who had finally made it to Nocturne's keep just in time to witness Owen return to his body and be confronted by that ghost who was, yet again, trying to lull him into a false sense of security. Claiming rather eloquently that his plans for the other world were perfectly benign and for the good of everyone involved.

Glancing up at Clockwork again Dani asked worriedly, "Are they going to be ok? That guy looks really strong."

Clockwork didn't answer the question directly and instead replied, "It won't be long now before things come to a close. Now, I think you should get some rest since I've given you much to think about. Don't worry, I'll wake you should your assistance be needed but I haven't seen a potential timeline thus far where it would be in this case. Although, to be honest with you, the only reason I told you as much as I did is because we are unlikely to meet again after this, as you will be needed elsewhere. Just remember, no one can change the past, not even me without facing the consequences, but feelings can always shift direction at a moment's notice. And you must always be willing to change and grow and keep an open mind. Always. Whether or not that change is easy. Trust me, you'll be a lot happier in the end if you choose to let go of those hurtful emotions towards Vladimir. You'll be safer too."

"Safer? Safer from what? I don't get it," Dani frowned, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

Glancing in the direction of a certain item in his possession, Clockwork muttered mostly to himself, "Safe from a future you too would later regret..."

* * *

It wasn't as bad as the first time but being practically thrown back into his body was still a jarring experience. Owen wondered briefly if this was sort of what Danny and Vlad felt like whenever a duplicate re-merged with them. Either way his eyes snapped open and he slammed his head on the glass surface in front of him and grimaced, rubbing the sore spot since his hands were free at least.

This was a far cry from the luxurious bed Owen was sleeping in before. Now he'd been placed into some sort of glass pod where a fine mist swirled around him, already making him drowsy again. His reunion caused the desired effect of waking him up but Owen had to get out of here fast. Before he could do anything though a shadow fell over his pod and when Owen looked up, Nocturne was towering over him, arms behind his back in a very Vlad-like manner as if preparing to scold a misbehaving child with all the grace of a very old and powerful king.

"Ah so our lost prince returns at last," Nocturne smiled wickedly. "I trust my Sleepwalkers didn't treat you too roughly?"

Smirking back despite the circumstances, Owen retorted, "Hate to break it to you but they never laid a hand on me. The only reason I'm stuck here again is because I needed my body back. Unlike you, I happen to still be very much alive. But you on the other hand, oh you're in trouble now!"

"How so?" Nocturne asked, his smile faltering only slightly when Owen's sudden burst of confidence took him by surprise.

"Vlad's coming," Owen beamed, his eyes shining darkly at Nocturne. "I did what I set out to do and now he's coming here to kick your star-stained butt. So why don't you do yourself a favor and let me go before he gets here? If you're lucky he might just spare your afterlife."

"And why would I do that when you're already safely back under MY care? My poor naive child. I already know all about the elder halfa and I'm fully prepared to deal with him when he arrives. Perhaps if HE'S lucky I will allow you two to share a singular dream instead of indulging your individual fantasies," leaning back, Nocturne turned to face the controls for the sleep pod and smirked. "Really Owen, I don't see why you feel the need to defy me. I'm actually doing mankind a favor. Should Lilith find a way out of the Unworld she will find no humans nor ghosts her _'children'_ can torment and produce demons from. Once I've taken over the human world, the entirety of the Ghost Zone shall soon follow as we brace for the inevitable storm to come. I am not heartless though. It is not my intention to ensure that they all sleep forever, as tempting as that is. I merely wish to remind them who is the King of Dreams and that I am not any mere ghost they can hold in contempt and ask for help with their growing insomnia. We can all feel it. The shadows of an old darkness are stirring. All because you have reappeared at long last. The first and final necromancer..."

Slamming his fists against the glass Owen protested, "That's no way to live! We can't just run away from reality and hope everything works out! I'm done doing that! Nocturne seriously, you have to stop while you're ahead. You may have gone through my memories of Vlad but trust me when I tell you you have NO idea who you're dealing with. I don't even know everything he's capable of and Danny has only told me so much from his first hand experiences with him. But all that time Vlad was holding back so he wouldn't hurt him too badly in their fights. He's going to destroy you though, Nocturne, completely if he can. Are you really ok with that if it reminds people that you were once a powerful ghost and a trusted ally of Death?"

Turning back to Owen once again, this time frowning, Nocturne told him, "I should not expect a child like yourself to understand my motives. You barely understand HIS motives for you or realize just how valuable you are in this world and the next. Before long, everyone will remember exactly what it means to be put up against a necromancer of your caliber. You will be feared and loved by all without really doing anything yourself. Simply by BEING I will not be the first ghost that seeks to exploit your gifts, only, they will not be as kind with how they obtain it. Now that you have someone you care for so deeply for the first time in years, they will threaten him to get to you. And that's exactly what you're afraid of isn't it? Losing him like you lost your parents?"

"Shut up!" Owen cried, hitting the glass again but with more force which automatically made his hands change into his necroenergy form. "You can read my thoughts and view my memories but you have no idea how I feel. I'm still alive because of him. I have a place to belong, because of him. And when I escaped from you, as briefly as it was, Vlad was the one I ran to. I...I believe in him. He cares about me and is trying to change his ways because of how it effects me. But fear and hate have their place too, so long as they're justified. That's why I'm allowed to hate you for trying to use me too while still hoping you'll stop being an idiot and let me out of here!"

Ignoring Owen's ranting, Nocturne looked over the controls and sighed, "It would appear that I'll have to max out the output of sleeping gas to put you to sleep again since your resistance to anything ghost related has prevented you from already losing consciousness. You're still so lively even after the pod has been pumping sleeping gas into the chamber ever since your spirit took flight over two hours ago. Let us hope you do not become addicted to it after overexposure to the purest form of it I am capable of creating. I've seen it happen before and creating an antidote takes a long time and is hardly worth the trouble."

Owen rolled his eyes, "Ok, lets assume you do get me to fall asleep again. What then? I already know you have me captive now and that any dream you show me won't be reality. Eventually I'll wake up again or I'll bust out the same way I did before. This pod won't be able to hold me and neither will your stupid Sleepwalkers."

"I have my ways, no need to worry," Nocturne smiled, turning the dial and Owen heard the low hiss of his pod releasing more gas into the chamber. "I am nothing if not patient. I could easily manipulate your dreams so that you cannot tell what is real and what is not. For all you know, you've been asleep during this entire conversation. I'd hate to have to do that to you though after all the hard work I put into handcrafting such a marvelous dream just for you. That, and you have already suffered through the manipulations of the necromancer ghost Azrael, whom I can feel drowning in his own dreams of despair..."

"Azrael?" Owen scowled, leaning his weary head against the glass and digging his nails into his arms in an attempt to stay awake this time. "Great, are you going to use him against me too? The only reason I summoned you was because I was trying to reach him. But obviously my memories told you as much."

Double checking to make sure the settings were maxed out, Nocturne returned his attention to the boy, unaware that the dial was slowly turning back to zero right behind him. "You also told me as much when we met, don't you remember? You may not have used his name at the time but as you say, your memories told me all I needed to know. Perhaps I can also offer him some peace of mind since he has all but withdrawn into himself as recompense for his crimes against you, his beloved master."

"M'not his master..." Owen mumbled, trying not to breathe in too deeply as he yawned because of the sleeping gas as he pulled his head away from the glass, confused when he wasn't getting sleepier. Blinking slowly, Owen glanced behind Nocturne who was grinning gleefully at seeing his drowsy disposition and saw non-other then Danny floating invisibly behind him. Resisting the urge to smirk and acknowledge him as Danny went around undoing plugs and tubes and whatnot, Owen took that as his cue to pretend he was about to go under again when-

All of them were startled when a thunderous explosion shook the entire keep, knocking over several pods, including his own which Nocturne caught before it landed and shattered the glass door. "Sounds like our uninvited guest has arrived. But that was too close for comfort-"

"I warned you," Owen smirked, rubbing his sore shoulder that had slammed to the side of the pod when it fell over, leaving a nasty bruise. "There's going to be hell to pay and good luck getting me to fall asleep with that racket."

Setting the pod back up, Nocturne mused, "Well so long as you can't escape I don't see the need to. But just to be safe..."

Turning his hand intangible to reach through the glass that was specifically designed only to allow him access like this, Nocturne was about to reach directly into Owen's mind when he flinched away and gripped his arm, sending a wave of fire rippling up his skin which caused Nocturne to cry out in pain and withdraw his arm, glaring harshly at Owen who only returned his angry stare. "I know you have psychokinesis too but my flames are made of necroenergy so, I'd suggest against trying that again since I can hurt ghosts like you with it. You've got much bigger problems to worry about."

"Fine. But rest assured that this isn't over. I'll make you pay for doing that," Nocturne promised darkly before finally taking off in the direction of the intruder, aka Vlad.

Owen waited until the coast was clear to sag to the bottom of the pod and let out a sigh of relief. "You can show yourself now Danny, he's gone for now. How'd you find me anyway?"

No answer.

"Danny?" Owen asked again, troubled by the silence. He could still feel his presence but...

Unfortunately, just out of sight Danny lay unconscious under the other fallen pod. It had accidentally hit him over the back of the head when Vlad's attack shook the pod loose while he was searching for the tube that connected to Owen's pod feeding it more sleeping gas. At least Nocturne had been too focused on Owen to notice the presence of a new dreamer. Still, Owen could feel his confidence waning as he called out to Danny again, craning his neck to look around the room until he finally spotted a slightly green mess of hair as ectoplasmic blood stained Danny's usually all white hair.

Alarmed, Owen started pounding his fists against the glass again and shouted, "DANNY! Oh no, please, you've got to wake up! If Nocturne finds you here like this-!"

Looking around wildly for something he could use to get out, he continued to hit the glass harder when he felt it tilt and crashed into it with his entire body. Eventually the pod came crashing down a second time face first and Owen braced himself for impact. Another cry of pain escaped his lips when the phantom wound on his back flared up, paralyzing him for a solid minute before Owen could finally crawl out from under the now-shattered pod to stumble over to Danny to make sure he was alright. The building shook again just as Owen reached him and he immediately ignored his own wounds in favor of healing Danny's head-wound. Out of the two of them, Danny stood a better chance helping Vlad defeat Nocturne and his henchmen and besides, it was second nature to him to help others before helping himself.

Thankfully the wound was shallow and hadn't caused any concussions from what Owen could tell but Danny was still out cold. He had to get him out of sight before Nocturne came back and tried to make a run for it or hold Owen hostage to force Vlad to stop his attacks. Either way, there wasn't much time so Owen carefully swung Danny's arm over his good shoulder and slowly made his way out of the room. Wondering what exactly Vlad was doing that was making this entire island tremble like it was being bombed. Whatever it was, Nocturne was in for the fight of his afterlife and he was still an idiot to think he stood a ghost of a chance against Vlad. Because as a reverse of an old saying would say in this situation, _'Hell hath no fury like a father scorned...'_


	8. Shattered Illusion

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (01/02/2018:** Hey there, and welcome to the first story update of the year! Sweet! Took awhile to get an idea of where I left off without re-reading the whole story but I managed. And while I'm hoping to get my own copy of the show for my upcoming birthday, I've been re-watching a few episodes to exploit a few Ghost Zone advantages I completely forgot about. I'm sure you know which one I mean but in case you don't...have a look at this new chapter and find out. XD

* * *

 _~Chapter 8~_

 _Shattered Illusion_

 _(Chapter inspired by Gone by Red)_

* * *

When Vlad reached Nocturne's Keep, he was quite literally seeing red and blasted a hole through anything that moved in his line of sight. Those words before Owen vanished, they made him the happiest man alive. And to have someone he loved stolen from him again was too much to bear! Obviously this wasn't the same kind of love but Owen was incredibly precious to him, important, and loved...

To think that Owen's foolishness was a result of trying to do something that would help them move on from the painful experiences of the past deeply touched Vlad. He couldn't remember the last time someone did him a genuine kindness without an ulterior motive or only as a form of deceit to win his favor. Owen wanted to move on, to accept his new life with Vlad, but at the same time he was scared that because Vlad was so important to him his enemies would hurt him or worse, make him a full ghost by killing him in cold blood.

It was clear to Vlad now that Owen wasn't afraid of him, he was afraid FOR him which is why he ran. At least Owen owned up to his mistake and admitted it to himself and Vlad, which put his mind at ease about that at least. As for the rest, well, Vlad was no saint and had absolutely no qualms with reducing this place, everyone, and everything in it to ashes. Rescuing Owen was important yes, however, Nocturne was going to answer for stealing from Vlad Plasmius first!

If Vlad hadn't been completely enraged he probably would have been impressed with how many Sleepwalkers Nocturne managed to accumulate just from absorbing Owen's dream energy. Too bad they were less then worthless when it came to fighting a foe such as this. One blow was all it took to incinerate most of them. Especially since Vlad wasn't holding anything back. Even his ectoenergy had turned from it's usual pink to solid red as it bombarded Vlad's foes and the front gates again and again with increasing ferocity.

Charging one final assault on the front gates as soon as the Sleepwalkers thinned out, Vlad let out a war cry and blasted them right off their hinges into the opposite wall. Much like his other attacks it broke the silence of this place but once the dust settled and he landed deftly on the ground, Vlad was greeted again by the silence...

And darkness.

His footsteps echoes through the keep since Vlad had no desire to take Nocturne out through a surprise attack, oh no, he WANTED Nocturne to know he was coming so he could taste the fear of daring to anger Vlad Plasmius. This would serve as a message to everyone in the Ghost Zone too. Owen Ravenwood was his son, his family, his own. He was under his protection and anyone who dared lay a finger on him would suffer what could only be described as a second death, a slow agonizing one.

Once Vlad reached the middle of the room, a shape materialized before him and Vlad glared as Nocturne mused, "My my what a rude guest. Proper etiquette usually demands that one knocks ON the door, not knock it down..."

"So you're Nocturne," Vlad smiled cruelly. "Excellent. Now I don't have to waste time searching for you in this sad excuse of a realm. Honestly Nocturne, a ghost as old as you should have something more impressive. Or is it that you are too weak to demand the respect of any underlings you don't create yourself?"

"Silence!" Nocturne snapped. "How dare you insult me in my own home? I am Nocturne, the King of Dreams, the Ghost of Sleep! And before long all shall bow before me, even you if I choose to spare you an eternity of darkness."

"Yes yes we all know who you are. But the question is, with those infernal mind reading powers of yours do you have the slightest inkling who I AM?" Charging an energy blast in each hand, Vlad proclaimed, "I am Vlad Plasmius, the first half ghost hybrid ever created and unlike you I relied on no one else to obtain my power and status. What I wanted, I took. What I despised, I destroy. And what is mine...I will TAKE BACK! Now I'll only ask you this once. Where. Is. My. SON!"

Smiling wickedly, Nocturne replied, "I know exactly who you are Vladimir Masters. Owen's dreams and memories have shown me all. But a question if I may-" summoning an illusion of Owen in his dream-shadowed form that Vlad caught a glimpse of in the surveillance video, he challenged, "-I'm sure you have asked yourself this many times since you first encountered this child, but tell me, if he wasn't anyone remarkable would you have welcomed him into your life? If all Owen had to offer you was his love, could you accept that and cease all of your ambitions of taking over the world? In fact, have you even really let go of any of it or is this boy nothing but a means to an end for you as well? I can see into your thoughts Plasmius and even now you are still unsure of what you want. You were never one that could accept the bare minimum. If you want something, you want ALL of it. How fortunate for you Owen has NOTHING and is all too willing to accept you and every flaw as long as it means he'll never have to be alone again. Yet day after day he grows more fearful that you will tire of him, throw him away, or worse, die in his arms..."

"Nice try Nocturne," Vlad chuckled, blasting a hole through the illusionary Owen without so much as batting an eye because he knew it wasn't real. And it had the desired effect of making Nocturne stagger back, taken aback by his ruthless display. "I've done this dance before and know every single step. Nothing you say will dissuade me from my goal to take Owen back home with me. You've already lost. He told me what happened and called me _'dad'_ for the first time with no reservations. I know his heart. I know my heart. And it's telling me that I would love Owen no matter what because he sees me for the imperfect man I am yet was willing to sacrifice his chance for a new life with me so that I would continue to live even without him. Do you understand what that means? I already have everything a man of the world could ever desire. Wealth. Power. Influence. But NO ONE has ever given me so much of themselves as honestly and lovingly as he has. Well, perhaps one did but her feelings were, for the most part, just imprinted into her DNA because I knew that no one could ever love someone as selfish and hateful as me. Owen gave me that chance. A chance for real love. And now that I have it, I refuse to let anyone take that from me. Never again will others dictate what I want or need. Not you. Nor anyone else!"

Rushing forward, Vlad charged at Nocturne who hastily warped out of the way and tried to regain control of the situation. "I'm not taking him away from you, I am giving him the peace he so longs for! I spent hours weaving the perfect dream for the boy, and you know what I discovered? Owen does want a life with you. He no longer wishes for the life he once had because you're the only one who can relate to all of the supernatural things in his life. Surely you are wary as well of the constant worry of losing him either to a deadly blow, another abduction, or of him rejecting you like everyone else. I am offering to let you two share a beautiful dream free of doubt and fear where you both can be truly happy and at peace. If we are to protect ourselves against Lilith then inner peace is crucial. I swear that I will protect you both from harm. I know how to shield your dreams from her darkness. That was my intention all along!"

Vlad ignored his words and whirled around, creating several duplicates to surround Nocturne, each poised to attack from every angle. Seeing that his plan wasn't working since Vlad was no longer a reasonable man but a vengeful ghost, Nocturne expanded his power to create more Sleepwalker's to hold him off but only two appeared. Taken back yet again, Nocturne stared at his clawed hands and wondered, "Impossible. The necromancer child should have fallen back asleep by now. I made sure that the amount of sleeping gas pumped into the chamber was maxed out. Did he escape again already? No...this energy feels different. It's not enough. But who's dream is this?"

Just as Vlad unleashed all of his attacks, Nocturne phased through the floor which was now home to a giant crater and fled towards the pod chamber in search of the owner of this weaker energy. It felt familiar yet something was filtering the flow so that the dream energy that made it back to him was a mere trickle and Nocturne couldn't decipher their thoughts or dreams. He could no longer tell if this was Owen's dream or not...

* * *

"Please...please wake up," Owen pleaded in a hushed tone, doing everything he could from memory alone about how to shield Danny's dreams from Nocturne's influence. "I really don't want to have to burn you or something."

Owen was still pretty woozy from the sleeping gas but he managed to heal the wound on Danny's head and had no choice but to wait til he woke up. Thankfully the bedchamber Nocturne had Owen in before was nearby so he brought Danny there to hide, oddly enough, underneath the bed as if this was a normal game of hide and seek. Good thing his bed was freaking huge and the blankets cascaded over the sides of the bed which covered them both quite nicely.

Owen seriously hoped the absence of one of the pillows would go unnoticed because he was trying to keep Danny's head elevated despite already healing his wound. After that Owen was considering whether or not to risk leaving Danny there while he went to regroup with Vlad who was most likely in combat with Nocturne at this very moment.

He stiffened and held his breath when a familiar presence became stronger as Nocturne himself phased through the floor and looked around, "There's no use hiding Owen. I know you've escaped the pod. Now come out quietly before I am forced to do you harm. This is as much for your sake as everyone else's boy. We cannot let Lilith corrupt you with all the fear and sadness that still pervades your heart. Surely your new father will agree with me."

Keeping very still, Owen placed a hand over Danny's chest and cast a rune to conceal him as if he'd turned invisible on his own just in case Nocturne looked underneath the bed. He wasn't sure if Nocturne would look there or not but Owen could hear him gliding across the floor with distinct swish, or perhaps a soft slithering sound since he didn't have feet. With any luck Nocturne wouldn't expect him to hide anywhere so obvious. And yes if it wasn't for the fact that Danny was out cold Owen would have made a run for the entrance where Vlad probably was.

Knowing that Vlad was still in pursuit, Nocturne made to leave when Danny groaned loudly and slowly opened his eyes. Panicking, Owen clapped a hand over his mouth and made an urgent but quiet _'shh'_ sound, but sadly, the damage was already done. Like a whip Nocturne's tentacles curled underneath the bed-frame and flipped it over, revealing a frightened boy who quickly scrambled to his feet and ran towards the door.

Danny was still disoriented and could hardly see a thing but his ghost sense had gone off when Nocturne entered the room so he sat up, clutching his head and shaking it, wondering what had happened. Thankfully Owen's spell prevented Nocturne from noticing him when he flew after Owen, who was clearly at a disadvantage because he couldn't fly. However, now that Owen was awake and no longer encased in that special sleep pod, there was one advantage that Owen was about to learn about which made being a human a lot more interesting here in the Ghost Zone...


	9. A Hollow Victory

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (01/06/2018):** Ugh, I hate being sick. It makes it so hard to focus and I feel like Nocturne is giving me insomnia or something so I CAN'T sleep because I've been so feverish and coughing like non-stop. Anyway, sorry in advance that this chapter won't be written as planned with a face off between Vlad and Nocturne, this keep is pretty big and fairly dark so for the sake of the plot lets say he got lost or something and Nocturne decided to turn tail and run away, uh, spoilers I guess? I was planning a big fight scene but now, I just want to get this over with and reunite Owen and Vlad then decide what to do about Dani...and possibly Dan. Dun Dun DUH!

* * *

 _~Chapter 9~_

 _A Hollow Victory_

* * *

"Vlad! I'm here, where are you?!" Owen called, dodging Nocturne's attacks switching between lashing out with his tentacles and shooting fireballs overhead.

"Don't be a fool child! Things will be better for everyone if you remain safely hidden here, with me. Now stop resisting!" Nocturne called, warping in front of him and forcing Owen to skid to a halt.

He tripped though over some fallen debris and with a wild cry, Owen flung his arms out in front of him and braced himself for impact. But then Owen opened his eyes in surprise when he phased through the floor and landed safely on the ground the next floor down in the basement of Nocturne's keep, completely unharmed.

"What the...?" padding himself down as if to check if all his limbs were still attached, Owen scoffed. "Whoa...I haven't changed into my necromancer form so how did I just-" testing his theory Owen pushed his hand through the nearest wall and it phased right through it too. "Ok, well THAT'S new."

Nocturne wasn't far behind him and tried to catch the boy off guard from the shadows before he realized the truth about something that only humans could do here in the Ghost Zone, but before he could do much of anything a black and white blur flew past Owen and punched him into the wall to their left, knocking the non-existent wind from his lungs. "Hey goat-head, looks like you're the only idiot around here thinking we'd let you get away with this. I think instead of a sleeping pill you need to take a CHILL pill!"

Nocturne was just about to recover from the blow the young halfa landed on him when all of a sudden his lower half and entire right side was encased in ice as Danny shoot a beam at his body, his eyes glowing an icy blue. Once he knew Nocturne was down for now, Danny turned to Owen and asked seriously. "Hey, you ok?"

"For the most part, you?" Owen replied while eyeing Nocturne as he backed away further out of his reach.

Rubbing the back of his neck Danny shrugged, "Yeah, I think so. I still seriously think Vlad overdid it a bit when he busted down the door though. Because if the bump on my head is anything to judge by I think one of those pods fell and hit me on the head. I must've blacked out after that. Thanks for getting me out of there by the way, I owe you one! While I was out I had the weirdest dream too but I guess that's what happens when you take a nap in the haunted house of the Ghost of Sleep. Speaking of which-" Flying over to him and crossing his arms, Danny frowned. "-you've got a lot of nerve picking a fight with Vlad Plasmius when he was already cranky. Not the best idea dude. So since I'm the good guy here I'll give you a piece of advice, if you seriously don't want to get the worst wake up call of your afterlife then I suggest hightail it out of here while you can. Because I'm telling you right now Vlad won't be as generous. Doubt he even knows the meaning of the word to be honest sometimes. As for me, I'm willing to let this slide just this once..."

"Do not patronize me, ghost boy," Nocturne snarled, breaking his arm free and grabbing him by the neck. "You caught me by surprise before but now I know where that strange energy was coming from. It was from you! And here I was wondering why Owen's mind suddenly felt so different, so muddled and obscure as if it was being hidden from me. I had assumed he was calling upon his ancestors to shield his mind from me but no, it would seem the younger halfa has been briefly wading through the land of dreams, thwarting my plans. Perhaps I shall grant you the chance to visit it again, boy! But don't expect any pleasant dreams this time!"

With a threatening growl, Owen charged a fire attack of his own and demanded, "Let him go, I'm warning you Nocturne!"

Glancing over at Owen Nocturne only laughed. "Oh are you now? As I recall, you were fleeing from me mere moments ago. Why the sudden burst of bravery? Is this ghost boy a friend of yours? Or is he yet another sacrifice doomed to die so you'll continue to live?"

Owen flinched. "Shut up! He's not a sacrifice! Take that back! Danny is...he's my..." trailing off though, Owen faltered because he wasn't sure what to call Danny.

Were they friends...? Owen wanted to think so but at the same time he kind of forced himself into Danny's life. If it wasn't for his connection with Vlad, Danny never would have known Owen even existed. He never would have come to the rescue out of the blue, thinking that Owen was just another one of Vlad's pet projects. And now even Danny's own clone had the same idea about him being a clone as well because she assumed Vlad would never want anyone else to become his _'perfect son.'_

Vlad was a man of vision; a man who desired nothing less then what he thought the world owed him because of his misfortune and his status as the only other halfa in the world. He had power. He had control over almost everything in his life now. But when he already had someones as capable as Danny around did Vlad really want to keep wasting time on someone like Owen who had a hard enough time controlling his destiny when time and time again someone came swooping in to either save him or force their ideals on him...? Would Danny want to be friends with him if he didn't want Owen to turn his worst enemy into a good guy? If he wasn't a necromancer, would either of them care one way or the other about any of this?

"D-don't listen to him!" Danny struggled to say, prying Nocturne's fingers off his windpipe as his grip on Danny's throat tightened and he gagged, struggling to breathe. "Of course we're friends Owen! Don't let this weirdo tell you otherwise! If it wasn't for you Vlad wouldn't be trying to change. And you...you want want to be part of a family again right? Well that's all Vlad says he's ever really wanted so let him prove it to himself and to you! Let him prove that you really do mean the world to him now and he doesn't want to take over our world anymore! You ARE his world! Why else would he be willing to die for you?"

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of!" Owen admitted before he could stop himself, clenching his fists tighter and letting the flames lick the skin further up his arms. "I don't want him to die protecting me like so many others have and I don't want you to die either Danny or face a fate much worse then that. Luna's soul has already been captured by Lilith because she saved us and Azrael's demon. Nocturne even said Azrael has put himself in some kind of self-induced coma because he's trying to make sure he doesn't create a new demon. Well you know what, I don't need anyone sacrificing themselves for me. For once I want to be the one who protects you! I'm done playing by everyone else's rules! Now let him GO!"

Seeing that Owen was about to transform Danny yelled, "STOP! That's exactly what Nocturne wants you to do! Don't you get it, humans are the ghosts here in the Ghost Zone so if you stay human, he can't touch you! The only reason he could before was because you were already transformed. Didn't it seem odd to you that he kept missing you with his attacks once you changed back? It's not because he didn't want to hurt you, it's because his attacks couldn't-! Wait, duh! I can just show you! Check this out!"

To prove a point to Owen once he realized he could have just done this in the first place when Nocturne snatched him, Danny changed back to his human form and then promptly slipped right through Nocturne's fingers, much to the ancient ghost's surprise. He'd forgotten that this boy was half human as well. As for Danny he coughed a few times and rubbed his sore throat, keeping an eye on Nocturne every step of the way as he made his way over to Owen.

Grabbing his arm, Danny croaked, "He can't do anything else to us now. Let's go find Vlad before the whole place goes down in smoke."

"But what about...!" Owen began and flinched when Nocturne roared in fury and swiped a clawed hand at them which did absolutely nothing.

He even tried charging an emerald flame attack of his own but it rebounded off of Owen now that he was fully-rested and had the full protection of his necromantic blood. That, and the moment Owen recovered from his surprise he instinctively made a shield to protect them both.

Feeling confident again, Owen glared at Nocturne and turned his back on the ghost, saying, "You're no better then Azrael was, you know that? He tried to force his good intentions on me too but I think we both know that in the end this is my fight and whether I want to or not I'll have to face Lilith sooner or later. She'll never stop coming after me until we end the cycle and she can't chase my soul anymore when it goes beyond her reach. Until that day comes and I find a way to claim this life entirely as my own I have to stop running from and face my problems. I can't rely on Danny and Vlad always coming to save me forever. As for you, well, I hope you're smart enough to save yourself before Vlad finds us. You got your wish, Nocturne, from now on you'll be remembered. But are you sure it's for the right reasons...? Death trusted you, but now look at you? He'd be ashamed if he saw you now."

With a snarl just as the keep gave another violent shutter, Nocturne brushed off the remaining ice from his starry skin and with his solid red eyes, he bore them into Owen's and promised, "Mark my words young princeling, you WILL come to regret not taking me up on my offer of giving you a momentary sanctuary built only of your fondest dreams. Before long word of your return will spread throughout the Ghost Zone and I will not be the last ghost who will seek after your power to further their own aims. I promise you that any nightmare I might concoct as vengeance for today's events will pale in comparison to the real one that awaits you! Farewell, Owen Ravenwood, until the next we meet."

In a swirl of sparkling black vapor, Nocturne vanished completely. Owen couldn't sense him at all anymore which meant he'd left for real this time. As for the two of them, Danny and Owen exchanged a weird look and then decided to wait there for a bit to catch their breath, hoping that Vlad still had enough sense not to bring the place crashing down while Owen was still somewhere inside.

* * *

Even with all of the lesser shadow-like duplicates he sent out to track Nocturne down, this place was a lot larger then it first appeared on the surface. It was a dream-like labyrinth with many false passages and doors that led to nowhere, or even if they did lead somewhere it was usually to an empty room designed to create its interior based entirely on the dreamer's imagination...

Any ghostly patients Nocturne had allowed to stay in his keep prior to plotting against the other world to reclaim his title as the King of Dreams had long since woken from their slumbers and fled when the walls began to shake and the castle started falling apart because of Vlad's violent onslaught.

He ignored any ghost who obviously wasn't a Sleepwalker or Nocturne until Vlad suddenly decided to corner one that was lagging behind the others and told them to spread the word to every ghost it saw that Plasmius wasn't going to tolerate anyone standing in his way or stealing from him again. The poor spirit Vlad had snatched from the end of the line looked like a disheveled preteen with small horns curled over his pointed ears and cloven feet who had woken up terribly confused and had followed the others blindly out of the keep. But even this ghost kid instinctively knew that this ghost in front of him was the alpha and nodded, signaling he was going to do exactly as he was told before making a hasty retreat to catch up with the others.

Maybe if Vlad hadn't been so angry, perhaps he would have felt bad for frightening the young ghost. Although Nocturne's plans were far from benevolent anymore, there were a few ghosts he took genuine pity upon and agreed to help ease their suffering. Like that preteen ghost for instance. As misguided as his actions were, Vlad could have been a bit more considerate of the other ghosts that had nothing to do with Nocturne's plans. Too late now though.

All Vlad could think about was finding Nocturne and testing out his theory about killing a ghost by ripping out his core, which was in fact his soul. Those thoughts were forgotten however when one of his duplicates spotted Owen and Danny then alerted him to their location in the lowest chamber of the keep, aka the basement where most of Nocturne's discarded dreams, sleep pods, and other failed inventions lay scattered about.

And it was while they were in there that Owen finally had to stop and see why his back wouldn't stop sending waves of pain through him every so often when he twisted wrong, so he lifted his shirt and asked Danny to take a look after telling him about his encounter with a ghost named Venom. Vlad made a mental note of that name since Owen had obviously neglected to mention it before and then he followed the presence of the duplicate in question to teleport straight to where it was...

He literally appeared right on top of it and sent a message for the others to return to him as well, pausing only to reabsorb them and their memories then reorient himself before slowly easing his way to ground level to approach the pair, careful to keep his anger in check so as not to spook Owen or spur Danny into attacking him out of habit. Owen sensed him long before Danny's ghost sense went off and while lowering his shirt, he glanced over his shoulder and said in a slightly anxious tone, "Vlad's here. You don't have to go ghost Danny, he won't attack you..."

"What? Where-" Danny asked when his ghost sense finally did go off and he spotted Vlad's familiar red eyes gleaming dangerously in the darkness. "Oh," was all Danny said as Vlad stepped into the dim light and stared Owen down with his eerily calm and composed posture.

Sparing Danny only a brief glance, Vlad rounded on Owen and threatened in a low voice, "You disobeyed me Owen."

"I know," Owen replied, turning around to look at him before turning to Danny. "I think we've got it from here Danny. And I'm sorry about doubting you before," gripping his shoulder, Owen smiled boyishly, "Thanks for watching my back man."

"I'm not a hero for nothing you know," Danny smirked. His face fell a bit though when he added, "Speaking of watching your back, you better let Vlad take a look at that wound. It's not looking too good. Good thing we were right about Vlad having enough common sense not to drop the whole place down on top of our heads, not for lack of trying though. Ugh, I need a serious nap myself but I'll feel safer once I do it at home and not in this creepy place. I need to check in on Dani anyway so, if you're really sure everything is ok..."

"Wait," Vlad called just as Danny transformed and was about to fly off back to Clockwork's.

"Yeah?" Danny blinked.

Heaving a deep sigh, Vlad continued, "Thank you for protecting Owen and please give Danielle my regards. Once the excitement of tonight's events dies down I'll begin researching a cure for her...ailment. I trust you'll keep me informed of any changes?"

Danny rolled his eyes in response, "And we're back to this again. Fine, I'll keep you posted but I've got my secrets too so I'm not telling you where she is. I left her with Clockwork so she'll have plenty of time to rest. As for me, this whole thing has worn me out too. So before you do your father son talk thing I'd suggest getting out of here before something else happens or Nocturne decides to come back. Anyway, I don't think Clockwork will mind passing along any news to you about Dani since he can kind of see any possible future she might have in store. Hope he doesn't mind me being a little selfish not wanting to deal with anything else tonight, or today I guess since it's probably almost sun up. Great. And I have a pop quiz today too..."


	10. Unfinished Business

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (01/07/2018):** Whoops, after skimming a few previous chapters I realized that Vlad replies with something like "It's none of your concern" a bit too much so I better catch myself next time and rephrase it. Old habits of repeating myself die hard I guess. Anyways, I'm freaking FINALLY starting to feel better if only very stuffy now so that's good news. Gonna celebrate my birthday two days late since I was super sick on the actual day of. Also, looks like Venom is getting another appearance because Vlad isn't in the best mood right now and has a reputation to uphold. I still kinda like Venom but not enough to make him a full character though. On a side note, not that it matters now but remember when Vlad saved Owen from the Sleepwalkers after Venom bought them some time by fighting them and Owen said he recognized Vlad's scent? I forgot to elaborate but what I meant by that was the scent of Vlad's expensive cologne that's noticeable even in his ghost form. I was going to use Vlad's presence instead but I wanted Owen to recognize him in another way to show how familiar and close they were becoming as father and son, like how you know certain mannerisms after awhile and their likes and dislikes. That and since Owen's ghost sense was going nuts and sensing everything in the immediate area I needed to have him recognize Vlad differently anyway!

* * *

 _~Chapter 10~_

 _Unfinished Business_

* * *

After claiming a few spoils of war from Nocturne's Keep and having them sent home via some of his usual ghostly minions, Vlad began escorting Owen out of the Ghost Zone like Daniel suggested. Most of his wounds had already healed, such as Owen's bruised ribs from when the pod fell and a few cuts, but the bruise-like blotch on Owen's back was quickly becoming a growing cause for concern...

From what Owen told him he'd sustained the wound while in a pure ghost-like form when Venom struck him from behind and for some reason the damage had carried over when he returned to his human body. And since it wasn't healing properly Vlad was going to have to extract the ghostly poison from his other form somehow, though thankfully it wasn't anything life threatening and was just making Owen extremely uncomfortable. For now that felt like punishment enough and Vlad left it at that for now to focus on helping him fly out of here.

Vlad did however lend Owen his cloak since he was shivering again now that the adrenaline rush had worn off and Owen could feel the effects of the poison again. If not for that little detail Vlad would have already seriously reprimanded the boy for making him worry and nearly getting himself in far more serious trouble. On a side note, now Vlad could see what Owen meant about not wanting to wear a cloak since this one was too big on him and he kept getting his legs tangled in it. It was almost amusing to watch him struggle with the unruly fabric, almost...

At this point Vlad already knew about Venom which was why they were taking a small side trip back there to either get a formal apology or a cure for the poison under threat of destroying his turf as well. There wasn't much Owen could do to convince Vlad to leave well enough alone since he was done playing the part of goodie-two-shoes for Owen's sake. If the ghosts here thought Plasmius was going soft because he was adopting Owen then Vlad fully intended to prove otherwise to dissuade any further kidnapping attempts. That, and he just REALLY needed someone to take his anger out on!

"Vlad, can't we just go home? This place is creepy and-" Owen began complaining but Vlad sent him a harsh glare.

"So eager to see what punishment I have in store for you back home Owen? And here I thought you'd welcome the distraction," Vlad said, allowing himself an evil smirk.

Owen groaned in response. "Geez, you don't have to rub it in. All I'm saying is that this is a big waste of time. Venom's just some ghost I crossed paths with and once he found out who I was he went all creepy nice on me and apologetic and went out of his way to help keep the Sleepwalkers off of me while I escaped. If you're here to thank him fine, but don't go picking fights just because you didn't get to finish Nocturne off! We're probably going to see him again someday when he comes back for revenge."

"I make no promises," Vlad shrugged, reaching the stone he coaxed Owen into leading him to before calling out towards the fort-like island in the distance that Owen failed to notice before, "Greetings, Vlad Plasmius here. I have urgent business with the one you call Venom. Now if you'd so kindly send him out to speak with me perhaps I won't reduce this place to rubble, as I'm SURE you've heard I've already done to Nocturne's little base. I'll give you one minute!"

Scowling, Owen reprimanded him, "Vlad! Knock it off. I'm sure they got the message..."

Almost immediately after, two ghost thugs appeared and flew over to where they were, both of them looking rightly nervous and one of them responded, "The boss is on his way now and wanted us to ask how the necromancer kid was doing. But he seems to be alive so, that's good I guess?"

Hitting his companion on the back of the head with his fist, the older of the two, a lanky red-head who looked like he'd died in a tavern brawl or something with a thick Scottish accent said, "You guess? Are ye daft boyo? This here is the same necromancer lad from the old days, me granddad told me stories about their kind and how they could enhance ghost powers and create relics to control us. And that there is the elder halfa Plasmius himself who seems to have won the lad's favor! So show 'em some respect or the boss'll have our hides!"

"Oi, that hurt you jerk!" the younger one snapped. "I still don't see what the big deal is, he's just some fleshy who got mixed up in the wrong line of work. What'do I care? I'm only here on the boss's orders and he ain't said nothing about being nice."

"Of course not you ninny, that ought to be common sense!" with a sigh, the Scottish ghost spared Owen a glance before turning to Vlad who looked about ready to use these two idiot ghosts as target practice and laughed nervously, "Sorry 'bout 'im, he's a newly-dead. You know how it is."

Staring them down and crackling with energy, Vlad snarled, "I could honestly care less right now. Now enough distractions! Where is Venom? His minute is up. And if I'm kept waiting any longer...you two will be the first to taste the wrath of-"

"Relax, I'm right here," Venom called, putting himself between his boys and Vlad.

"Boss!" both ghost called simultaneously, relieved to see him finally.

Floating over to them, Venom gripped them both by the back of the head and forced them to bow their heads to Vlad and Owen, snapping, "What have I told you lug-heads about not acting stupid around more powerful ghosts? You know the rules! If you can't say anything intelligent you keep your big mouths shut and let me do the talking! You especially new-blood!"

"We're sorry!" both of them hastily apologized when Venom released them and turned to the Scottish ghost.

Shoving the younger ghost roughly into his chest Venom ordered the elder ghost, "Take this new-blood with you and finish repairing the west gate, it's still sticking when we close it and activate the shield which could be bad news if any more of those shadow creeps show up. And if you see anyone slacking tell them I'll send them packing if they can't earn their keep! Now get moving!"

"Y-yes sir!" they replied and flew off, though they hesitated for a moment until Vlad looked like he'd calmed down enough not to look too threatening and then finally left.

* * *

"Danny!" Dani called, hugging him as soon as he flew through the doors. "I didn't know we could do that here, become the ghosts when we're human so they can't touch us. That was really smart! Oh man and the look on that guy's face! Ha! You really showed him who's boss!"

"Yeah, I guess..." Danny sighed. "Look Dani, I'm really tired and I need to head home. But before that I wanted to ask you something..." kneeling down and deftly holding her tiny shoulders he asked, "Would you mind staying here with Clockwork until we figure something out so you can stay somewhere closer to my place? Vlad has family stuff to sort out with Owen and I can't exactly hide you in the op-center like I did the first time, my dad has a bad habit of hiding food in there when the fridge downstairs is too full and he doesn't want mom to throw it out. If anything happens Clockwork can send you straight to me and vice versa. I just don't feel safe leaving you with anyone else right now."

Dani's face fell a little but she nodded, "It's ok, I understand. This place is kinda spooky but it's better then trying to sleep while staying invisible in a hotel room somewhere. You'll come visit though, right? And Vlad's going to help me get better once he's taken care of his...family stuff?"

Before Danny could answer, Clockwork intervened with a playful smirk, "I did say she was welcome to stay as long as she likes, although, despite knowing the outcome I do appreciate the illusion of choice."

"Fine fine," Danny laughed, seeing his point which only confused Dani. "Hey Clockwork, would you mind letting Dani stay with you for awhile?"

"So long as there isn't anywhere else she'd rather be I don't see why not," Clockwork replied, winking at Dani who nodded and then turned to Danny.

Hesitating for a second after glancing at the paused screen of Vlad and Owen talking to that Venom ghost, she smiled, "Thanks for everything Danny, and if you get the chance, please tell Owen I'm sorry for making things harder for him. I was only trying to help because I thought he was in trouble. I hope he feels better soon and Vlad doesn't get too mad at him..." she shuttered involuntarily, remembering the last time she saw him angry in person.

"Sometimes Danielle, anger is merely a mask to cover one's own fear of or bitterness after losing something precious," Clockwork stated in all seriousness, peering into the distance as if talking to himself. "When you lost Vlad's approval, were you angry because you hated him then, or because you were hurt? Only those who still care feel hurt. Remember that. And perhaps I can remind a certain someone how to care again and not be consumed by that hatred. But lets leave it at that for now. Sleep well Daniel."

* * *

In the span of time it took him to blink, Danny found himself back in his room just a little before five in the morning. He had hoped Clockwork would give him more time to sleep but hey, two hours was more then what he'd usually get after having to travel all the way to Wisconsin and back in one night. That being said, Danny begrudgingly sent Tucker and Sam a quick message on his computer telling them what happened before flopping into bed, only realizing now how tiring his trip into the Ghost Zone had really been even though he hardly did any fighting.

It was mostly mental exhaustion he supposed. Danny had experienced his fare share of it too. And it was something Owen was dealing with right now, or more specifically had since day one. Well, whatever happened from here, Danny felt surprisingly good about how it all went down. Vlad didn't go completely psycho bonkers crazy and outright dissected Nocturne molecule by molecule, Dani was safe and staying with a trusted friend, Vlad was going to willingly help cure her unstable ghost half, and Owen finally realized that they really were friends now, not just two teens who happened to have powers and knew Vlad. For a second there it seriously looked like Owen was wondering if Danny only liked him because he was a good influence on Vlad and had powers, not for WHO he was. Sure, that was part of it but Owen was a likable guy once Danny really got to know him after the whole near-death experience that awakened his full necromancer form.

Owen was about as passionate about architecture as Danny was about astronomy and becoming an astronaut. And now that Owen actually had someone besides Vlad that he felt comfortable with and was ok with letting his guard down, he was all too happy to play some mindless videogames or other co-op stuff with Danny and his friends...

Sam was pretty brutal when it came to gaming to his surprise and Owen had to admire her for that the first time he joined a party with them in some online game. And Tucker, he was obviously the brains when it came to tech stuff and he was armed with some really helpful hints and tricks about winning the game they were in. They made a great trio, but sometimes it seemed like Owen still felt like an outsider and hung back a bit when they really got into their strategy meetings.

Danny figured it was an old habit but sometimes he couldn't help but worry about Owen and he was seriously hoping that despite the dangers of living in Amity Park, maybe Owen could make some other friends here that he could hang out with and not feel like a third wheel. Danny kept telling him Valerie was pretty cool despite her being a ghost huntress but then again he realized that this distance Owen put between himself and others wasn't just a recent thing. It was something that came naturally because...he wasn't born entirely human. Owen could see ghosts that were unlike the ones in the Ghost Zone, they were bound to their earthly attachments and couldn't be seen by normal humans, nor could they interact with said humans which is why they sought Owen out to find their loved ones or some way for them to pass on to the true afterlife, whatever that was. Most Ghost Zone ghosts wanted that too and from what Danny could tell, they knew only Owen could lead them to this paradise either to take it over or just because they were sick of lingering around as ghosts.

Yawning, Danny crawled into bed and wondered suddenly, "I wonder why...Nocturne called Owen a prince. What would he even be a prince of? A prince of Death? Or a prince of...!"

Shooting straight up in finally hit him and after flashing back to several key memories from their encounters with Azrael it all made sense! Owen wasn't just the owner of the soul of Lilith's unborn son and the proxy of Death himself. He was going to have to research a few things to find out for sure but, could Owen actually be the legitimate heir to the Ghost King's throne?!


	11. Reality Check

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (01/08/2018):** ** _WARNING! Intense scene coming up and there is a brief mention of drug use but it is for story purposes ONLY, if you can't handle the upcoming scene or don't want to hear about the drugs then feel free to skip to the next line break after this scene is over. However, you might miss a few important details...  
_**

* * *

 _~Chapter 11~_

 _Reality Check_

* * *

"Geez, I honestly didn't mean to put THAT much oomph into my attack," Venom winced when Vlad made Owen take off his shirt entirely show him his back once they were inside of his base in the infirmary which was little more then a few beds, some shelves, and a single operating table. And what had been only an ugly bruise before was now a nasty, vein-y, purple glowing, blotch covering both shoulders and the back of his neck, "If I'd known sooner who you were I wouldn't have walloped you so hard. Anyway, I've got good news and bad news. Good news is I know how to extract the poison since I've had to do this more then once with my boys after fighting one of them a tad too hard, but the bad news is since you're NOT a ghost and can't phase it out since it's already been in your system too long it's gonna hurt like hell getting it out of ya. I just hope I can finishing reabsorbing it from your body without being zapped or exorcised or some other sh- I mean crap!"

Vlad sent Venom a positively livid glare every time he almost used foul language in front of Owen, he simply would not abide by it. This was already taking much too long and he had a business meeting tomorrow, which meant making sure TONIGHT that Owen couldn't get himself in trouble again the moment he took his eyes off the boy...

Owen seemed to know that too but wasn't as apprehensive about it now that he finally understood the real reason why he ran away before. It was out of fear, pure and simple, the fear of losing Vlad to a darkness that had yet to be lifted from his home. A darkness that had accumulated over the years and hung over the place like a thick fog...suffocating him.

He remembered reading something in The Grimoire about purifying a home, or maybe Owen only thought he had and more then likely actually got the idea from all those now-totally-redundant ghost movies where people with haunted houses would call for mediums or exorcists to cleanse a home. Surely some of that had to be based off of fact, you know, since Owen was basically a type of exorcist anyway when he needed to be...

Owen was supposed to be saving souls from the presence of evil and their own darkness, it wasn't his job to simply banish them here to the Ghost Zone where they could no longer do humans any harm and leave it at that. There were ghosts that wanted to be saved and move on, while others were content to linger, with Vlad it was different, he wasn't dead, but he effected the environment around him just like a ghost because half of him was one.

Snapping his fingers in front of Owen's face, Venom raised an eyebrow, "Yo kid, you still sleep drunk or something?"

Snapping out of his daze, Owen sighed, "No, I was just thinking about something besides the aching throb in my back now. Can we get started already? What do I have to do?"

"Do? Well," taking a very obvious step away from Vlad, Venom replied. "You're going to have to lie on your stomach on the table or sit there while I puncture your skin with my claws, and yes I have claws but I even creep myself out when I change into them. If I need to I can become more...spider like minus the extra limbs. And instead of injecting you with poison or my toxic ectoenergy I'll be drawing it back out. If the infected spot was somewhere easier to reach I could have used my fangs instead which would have probably been faster. Speaking of which, you might want something to bite down on. Yo Pops? You got anything on ya?"

Vlad snarled at him and unceremoniously tore off one of his gloves, more slowly handing it to Owen who was only now starting to look nervous. "How long will this procedure take, exactly?"

Venom huffed, "To hell if I know. What I DO know is that I'm going to have to stop if too much of his necromancer blood gets into my system since it naturally repels ectoenergy and hurts ghosts from what I've heard. It might take a few tries to get it all out, assuming he doesn't reflexively blast me into the nearest wall. You can try holding him down if you want to make this go faster because I'm afraid all my boys are too busy to help out."

Vlad nodded and was about to tell Owen to get into position when he shifted positions to lay flat on the cold rickety table, pointing to one of the beds. "It's fine, he doesn't have to hold me down. I can handle it."

Both Vlad and Venom looked shocked and looked at each other before Venom warned, "No seriously kid, this ain't no visit to cloud nine. This is REALLY going to hurt."

"Good," Owen said harshly, gripping Vlad's glove tightly and pointedly looking away from him. "I've caused Vlad enough pain so it's only right I should get a taste of what I've put him through. I'm sick of being weak and relying on him for everything. Everything I've tried doing on my own has blown up in my face so, lets see if I can endure a little pain without whining like a little brat. Because I'm not a brat. I'm going to be Owen Masters damn it so I better start acting like I can take a punch and keep fighting for what I believe in! Just do it already! NOW!"

Venom flinched when the power of Owen's voice alone compelled him to move closer and extend his claws, ugh, he seriously hated using these since they never felt like his own hands like this, and before Vlad could protest or stop him Venom dug his claws into Owen's shoulder blades. Owen screamed and barely managed to force his mouth open again to force the black cloth of Vlad's glove in his mouth. He gripped the sides of the table which creaked and molded to the shape of his hands when his arms automatically shifted to his necromancer form, and Owen had to consciously stop himself from completely transforming, whimpering slightly as his body endured the first wave of pain.

Venom meanwhile, either because Owen compelled him to or because he was scared to death -no pun intended- of Vlad attacking him to spare Owen from this pain focused all of his energy into pulling the poisonous energy out of his skin and back into himself. This was easier said then done because Owen's blood reacted to his negativity and started making his hands burn as if he'd dipped them in something acidic. And the more energy and venom he absorbed, the more painful it became. It was a sickening feeling that reminded him of his own slow and painful death Owen mentioned and eventually, Venom was forced to pull his claws out and instantly charge an attack and shoot the now-poisonous-to-himself energy as far away from them as possible, expelling the necromantic essence he absorbed along with it by accident, panting and trembling slightly from the afterglow of pain.

The moment Venom's claws were out, Owen collapsed onto the table, breathing heavily but knowing Venom's procedure was far from over. Mustering the energy to pry the wad of cloth from his mouth, Owen rasped, "You're...still too angry...from before. Try thinking...of your boss...and...how he took care of you...when you were high off some narcotic and he slung you over...his shoulder and...threw you in the river and told you to do something more useful like work for him instead. It was the first time...anyone said you could be useful...be helpful and...worth something."

Staring at him then over to a rather horror-stricken Vlad who wanted nothing more then to call this whole thing off and find an easier way to do this at home in his lab, Venom took a few deep breaths and exhaled, "Fine...fine I get it. I keep forgetting how freaking sensitive you are. Well stop getting all sentimental on me and lets give this another go-" approaching Owen again, who nodded and replaced the cloth in his mouth, Venom poised his claws again only to have Vlad step in front of him, blocking his path.

"That's enough. I can't stand by and watch my son suffer like this! When I said I was going to punish him this isn't what I meant! I can't allow him to punish HIMSELF like this over one mistake that was a result of my own negligence to stop him from attempting something this stupid!" Vlad exclaimed with a mixture of desperation and anger. "This crude method of yours is going to take much too long! I'm better off taking him to my lab to extract the toxins myse-!"

For a moment not caring that Vlad was one of THE most powerful ghosts ever to step into the Ghost Zone, Venom glared at him and snapped, "You heard the kid, he wants to do this on his own terms to prove something to you AND himself. It's not up to you or me whether he goes through with it or not so back off. If you keep babying him, he's not gonna stand a chance the next time some punk-ass ghost comes making a house call in your world! Has it even sunk in yet that your soon-to-be-son is the freaking heir to the Ghost King's throne?! When word gets out just who this particular necromancer is EVERYONE here is gonna want a piece of him and trust me, old horn-head will be nothing compared to the other old timers lurking in the forgotten corners of the Ghost Zone! And we're all screwed if this kid can't handle the real fight that's coming. It's gonna be your job to get him ready for all that. We've already had some bat-sh** crazy ghosts attack us already acting like they've gone mad or seen the face of the devil himself at their heels, so yeah, this human is the only thing standing between us and the real monsters of this world so excuse me if I'm taking his orders over yours Plasmius. His authority trumps yours whether you realize it yet or not."

The truth of Venom's words hit Vlad like a physical blow. It never occurred to him until now that one day, Owen would not only grow more powerful then he was, but would also hold dominion OVER him if he accepted the role of Ghost King because he was Death's chosen scion who acted in his stead and was destined to raise an army of ghosts against Lilith and her demonic hordes. And since he was half ghost, Owen already had more power over him then ANYONE imaginable. For a child, a mere fifteen year old human to have that kind of power over him...it was an alarming reality.

Sure, Owen was inexperienced now but more then once Vlad had seen a glimpse of his true potential to strike down his foes with ease and exert dominance over a full ghost, several in fact. And seconds ago, with nothing but his voice and strength of will, he ordered Venom to proceed with the extraction before Vlad could have any say in the mater. What would have happened if Owen had ordered him to leave the room or stay rooted to the bed he'd been sitting on before? The very thought of losing control of his fate, even for a second after the horrors Vlad had suffered for years in the hospital, it made Vlad second guess everything he had envisioned happening when Owen became his son.

For someone so young, so caring and emotionally fragile, to hold in his hands the power to strip Vlad of not only his own power, but his will, it made him feel for the first time in his life truly afraid of someone. But not because Owen would abuse that power, but because it would mean that if Owen made a bad call and ordered Vlad to not interfere...he could get himself killed and Vlad would be rendered utterly and completely useless...

Recomposing himself, Vlad stepped aside but not before warning in a low voice, "Do what you must, but if I discover that you're taking longer then necessary and not being careful, you'll be losing a limb instead of gaining extra ones you lowly spider spook. Now get on with it so we can leave this nightmare behind us."

"Gladly. I want this over with as much as you do and the both of you out of my hair," Venom grumbled, taking position again and inserting his claws again a bit more gently but with enough force to break the skin again that had closed while the two of them were arguing.

* * *

Venom had to stop no less then five times before resuming and finally getting all of the poison out, and as expected Owen's accelerated healing did have enough of an effect to make sure that there were no scars left behind despite how many times Venom had punctured his skin. He lost quite a bit of blood though so although Owen miraculously managed to stay conscious, he was unable to stand on his own without the table for support. Vlad on the other hand, sat in contemplative silence until Venom kicked him softly in the boot and pointed behind him at Owen, who smiled weakly at him and waved before returning his hand to the table. Even Venom found himself grinning stupidly, relieved that the whole thing was over and impressed by Owen's tenacity.

"He's got guts, I'll give him that. You ought to be proud Plasmius, the kid was able to make it through all that sh** because he knew his old man was watching and wanted to make ya proud. I'll have Logan escort you two fleshy's out when I get back, need to make sure they didn't do a half-assed job fixing the gate anyway," with a shrug, Venom turned and flew up through the roof, trusting Vlad enough not to pull any funny business since he got what he came for and Owen was back to normal if only woozy from the blood loss and sore from laying on that metal table for at least a good forty-five minutes.

Not sure if he wanted it back or not, Owen shimmied his way over to the bed Vlad was sitting on and plopped down next to him, holding the soaked black glove in his hand by a finger, asking him hoarsely, "Not sure if you still want this back but...do you?"

Vlad shook his head mutely and Owen glanced around the room before he spotted a trash bin -huh, looks like even gangster ghosts had standards for cleanliness- and he lazily tossed it in. For a time, both of them sat there, not saying anything. There was a lot that needed to be said, and a lot that didn't. They knew that mistakes were made today, some pretty serious ones, but at the end of the day...they still loved each other and wanted nothing more then to go home and forget any of this ever happened...

Only, they couldn't.

When Vlad finally found his voice again, he sighed and rose to his feet, pulling back his sleeve to check his watch. He groaned. It was nearly seven in the morning and his meeting was at ten sharp, not nearly enough time to rest and make sure Owen didn't pull another vanishing act on him, even if it wasn't here to the Ghost Zone. What to do...?

Smiling, Owen reached up and grabbed his arm, nodding at the gleaming watch on his wrist and joked, "I know it's one of a kind but do you EVER take that thing off? I'm surprised you're still wearing it even in that form."

Glancing at the watch again and waiting a few seconds as the hands twitched slightly and time moved forward, Vlad replied warmly, "Of course not, this is a precious gift given to me by my son after all. I happen to value it greatly and don't want to misplace it."

Letting his arm drop as his face fell, Owen smiled sadly and asked, "Is this ever going to get any easier?"

Surprised by the question, Vlad wondered aloud, "What my dear boy?"

Smiling warmly up at Vlad, Owen replied a bit more confidently, "Thinking of you as my real dad, and not just another foster parent that's going to get tired of my ghost-related antics..."


	12. Haunted

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

* * *

 _~Chapter 12~_

 _Haunted_

* * *

"And here I thought no rest for the wicked was just an expression..." Vlad grumbled and the two of them took their first steps back home through his portal, looking at his watch again only to find that their trip back had taken yet another hour to complete after taking that little detour.

Now it was eight in the morning, not enough time to take care of the arrangements he needed to to ensure that Owen was sufficiently guarded while he took care of his annoying but necessary human work. Owen on the other hand looked almost as sleep deprived as he had before Nocturne's abduction ironically and nodded in agreement, taking a seat on the floor, his arms resting on his knees and his head leaning against the wall. "You could always call the meeting off, save yourself the trouble. I'm sure even the richest man on earth takes a day off every so often like the rest of us mortals..."

"I suppose you're right," Vlad mused thoughtfully, transforming back into his human form and deftly pulling his cell phone out to cancel the meeting. "Hello Clarissa, this is Vlad Masters speaking. Tell the board that I have an urgent personal matter to attend to and will postponing the meeting until tomorrow. I expect you to take care of the rest. Have a good day." Without giving his flustered secretary time to respond to his sudden declaration, he promptly hung up and sighed.

Whatever chaos ensued at work because of this sudden change of plans was just something his employees would have to deal with. It was good to keep them on their toes since things usually ran very smoothly thanks to Vlad's careful planning and work ethic to the point where they hardly ever ran into problems whether he was there or not. They could handle it. And if they couldn't, well, then Vlad was just going to have to find some more capable employees to replace them.

Glancing tiredly over at Vlad, Owen asked in a half-serious half-joking tone, "So what now? What torture awaits me oh Vlad the Impaler, great master of cruel and unusual punishments?"

Vlad scoffed as he put away his phone before sitting down beside Owen on the floor, replying with, "Been saving that one have you? Too bad most of my fellow collage students already beat you to it."

Resting the back of his head harder against the wall where they were sitting next to the closed portal, Owen frowned, "Geez, it's just as bad as I remember it..."

"What?" Vlad wondered, looking at Owen seriously. "Aren't you glad to be home again Owen? I thought you-"

Exhaling deeply, Owen reached over and while holding onto Vlad's shoulder firmly he muttered the same spell Azrael used to share his sight with those ravens he had watching Owen before. Seconds later, to Vlad's shock, an oily reddish-black fog appeared before his eyes that was slowly snaking over everything in the lab and hung over it like a thick haze. Now that he could actually see the miasma Owen told him about, Vlad understood why being constantly surrounded by this would eventually make it too difficult for Owen to ignore it after being exposed to it over a long period of time.

"THIS is what you've been seeing down here, this whole time?" Vlad asked, sounding disgusted with himself and deeply troubled. "How...how long has it been this...thick?"

Shaking his head, Owen replied with a shaky sigh, "It's always been like this, I just couldn't see it this vividly before my awakening as a full necromancer. I told you about this before, remember? When we had that fight about Azrael. Your whole castle is like this, it's at it's worse down here though. But I have an idea about how to fix it."

"You do do you? Well, let it be said now if it's something dangerous again I won't allow it, understand Owen? Now tell me, what exactly is it you intend to do to lift this miasma from the castle?" Vlad asked suspiciously.

"Nothing much," Owen smiled in amusement, withdrawing his hand from Vlad's shoulder with a shrug and the laboratory returned to normal at least in Vlad's eyes. "I'm just going to perform a good old fashion cleansing. Courtesy of your own personal necromancer slash exorcist."

* * *

Vlad wasn't happy with the idea of performing an exorcism -or cleansing rather- in his home mainly because he did not know the effects of a real one on ghosts since to his knowledge, they were rarely performed and even more rarely the genuine article, but if this would help put Owen's mind at ease then he was willing to try it. After that display at Venom's base, Vlad fervently hoped it meant that the furthest thing from Owen's mind was to try running away again. So perhaps this last kidnapping taught Owen a valuable lesson about not taking Vlad's love and offer of protection for granted. If this was going to work, they had to start trusting each other, wholly and completely...

Before doing ANYTHING else though, Vlad made sure to make it perfectly clear to Owen that there were still consequences for his actions and his relief to find Owen safe and sound was not going to discourage punishing him. For one thing, Owen was banned from using the internet for the next few weeks unless it was homework related. Although since they were still in transition of becoming a real family and not officially one just yet, Owen would be home-schooled for the time being and would be receiving his education through a personal tutor. And Vlad could easily monitor his online activity with or without Owen's consent to ensure he didn't go off task. Owen expected as much, but thankfully there were still a few things he could do recreationally without using the internet.

When Vlad said no movies though Owen's mask of compliance slipped and groaned but then again, considering exactly who he was dealing with this was getting off extremely lightly. Vlad even tried to pull the whole _'more then anything I'm just really disappointed in you'_ act, but Vlad's own feelings betrayed him and Owen saw right through it. His feelings of relief that Owen didn't hate him or was actually scared of him overshadowed everything else, even his previous feelings of helplessness and anger.

Owen made it a point to show Vlad that he had learned from his mistake though. The only downside was that despite trying to endure it better from now on, the miasma still made him feel tense and potentially unsafe as his first gut reaction to being back in the thick of it again. To remedy this, Vlad stayed with Owen until he fell asleep before allowing himself to rest for while because their little adventure into the Ghost Zone had taken a lot out of both of them, especially emotionally.

After a few hours of much needed sleep they had to message Danny to find out where he had hidden The Grimoire, but, being the predictable teenager he was Vlad was against calling him since he was fully capable of deducing where he hid it but eventually Vlad gave into Owen's demands and they called him anyway. Since there hadn't been much time to hid it anywhere too clever, or maybe just to be silly on his part as petty vengeance against Vlad for dragging him all the way here in the middle of the night, Danny hid it in the library right next to Vlad's copy of Edgar Allan Poe's poems and short stories and The Man in the Iron Mask. And in response to Danny's little joke, Owen had said _'talk about poetic irony'_ to which Vlad just rolled his eyes...

This was something else Vlad was going to keep under lock and key until Owen proved himself trustworthy enough again not to go creating any more portals! They had enough to worry about now with the new threat of vagrant ghosts invading the castle if the shields ever went down or someone found a way to bypass it through Vlad's portal, and the last thing Vlad needed to worry about was Owen taking himself straight to the enemy again himself by creating his own portal. Or worse, creating one that led to Lilith's world of darkness.

Just to make sure they did this whole cleansing right Owen convinced Vlad that he needed it to show him the proper methods and not use guess work based on some bad horror film. Vlad agreed, but told him in no uncertain terms that he was going to be right there making sure Owen's eyes didn't wander to any other pages in the meantime.

He seemed sincere enough but Vlad was on high alert, especially since Owen was acting a bit strange again now that they were back here and he was exposed to this miasma again after having already being exposed to a full blast of the negativity in the Ghost Zone itself for the past few hours. That's when Vlad decided that before all of this cleansing business Owen needed a breather so he made arrangements for them to go out for dinner tonight in town. After that they would be performing the cleansing to purify the lingering miasma from Vlad's home which should solve Owen's only real problem with staying there.

With any luck, the ceremony would also knock Owen out enough so he wouldn't have any nightmares about Nocturne or anything else haunting his subconscious, such as Azrael's fate. Vlad was counting on it since this whole experience -for lack of a better word- had been a total nightmare...

* * *

"I still don't see why we can't go to some family restaurant," Owen scoffed, or tried to at least past the silk tie he just couldn't seem to get loose enough to breath past.

"As charming as that sounds, for the sake of my imagine you're just going to have to settle for something a bit more eloquent," Vlad smiled, taking mercy on Owen and helping him loosen the tie if only a little bit without letting him take it off. "You're going to have to get used to such things anyway once you become my sole heir to the Masters' fortune. Think of it as the beginning on your training for becoming part of high society. Up until now we've had other things to concern ourselves with such as analyzing your powers and appeasing the social workers. Don't worry, I won't subject you to any prying eyes this time since I arranged this dinner to be brought to us in a private room so that for one thing, you'll get to eat a proper meal without troubling yourself with the more tedious acts of observing proper table manners, and for another lately we've been working ourselves much too hard and taking ourselves a tad too seriously. I'd like for us to share at least one uneventful evening sharing a meal together with my son. Is that so wrong?"

Owen shook his head, looking behind them at the castle as the limo sat waiting for them, a dark halo surrounded it and not even the moonlight could touch it. Since when had it gotten THIS bad? He always felt uneasy here, from day one, but this darkness...it couldn't be ALL Vlad. Even twenty years worth of scheming could never have tainted this place so much. There had to be something more too it. And after hearing about the previous owner, the Dairy King, Owen knew for a fact it had nothing to do with that old softy of a ghost...

"Owen? Is something wrong?" Vlad asked, unnerved by the intensity of his stare back at the mansion behind them.

"I'm not sure," Owen replied honestly, not bothering to hide behind a lie that it was _'nothing.'_ Because it was something alright, something they were going to have to deal with once they got back. "But there's no point in worrying about it now. Whatever is making your castle look like that...it can't all be from your old feelings of hate and resentment, there's just no way. It doesn't really feel like you either, not entirely. I'm surprised even you never noticed anything strange."

Vlad was troubled by his observation but as he said himself there was no point in worrying about it now. So after placing a hand on his shoulder Vlad steered him towards the limo and stated, "As long as it's not doing any lasting harm I'm sure it can wait until after dinner. We're going to be late if we don't hurry off now. Take a seat Owen."

"Real smooth change of subject there," Owen smiled, grateful for the distraction as he stepped inside after Vlad himself opened the door for him then climbed in as well in an impossibly elegant fashion. And almost immediately, the heaviness in the air seemed to lift slightly and Owen exhaled sharply in relief, leaning further back into his seat. "Oh, and Vlad?"

After settling in himself, Vlad raise an eyebrow and said, "Hmm?"

"Thanks for believing in me. Whatever is going on, I promise to do my best to fix it. Even if it's only for twelve months I really want to finally start thinking of this place as my home, not just a place I happen to be staying and shouldn't get attached to. But then again, as long as you're there with me, anywhere is home. I hope you know that Vlad. That whole Nocturne thing made me realize for the first time that...I'm not alone. You came for me even after I ran away from you, not because I'm your property or anything but because you love me. It's been so long since anyone has truly and honestly loved me for who I am and not out of obligation or pity because my parents are gone. Danny helped me realize too that I have at least one friend that accepts me and will stand by me through all of this. I finally know where I belong." Owen chuckled and then continued, "You know, thinking back on when you first invited me over could you have ever imagined everything we had to go through together? Me blasting you through a wall with my first fire attack, getting kidnapped and left to wander the forest behind the hospital while setting it on fire, fighting one of the demons that killed my parents, going to visit my ancestral home only to be kidnapped by Azrael again on the way there and almost dying as a result, you and Danny fighting Azrael's demon to save me, going together and completing the ceremony to become a full fledged necromancer, coming home and then running off and being hidden by a clone of Danny that you made before we met, and then this whole thing when I got kidnapped by Nocturne while trying to summon Azrael and confront him so that I could finally feel like I've taken care of at least some of my unfinished business so it would stop nagging me. Now here we are, going to dinner as if nothing happened and I'll be trying to cleanse your castle so it doesn't feel as oppressive anymore. Tell me Vlad, if you knew you'd have to deal with all of this the moment you decided to bring me here to find out my secret, would you have still done it?"

"In a heartbeat," Vlad smiled confidently, "Although I'll admit I would have prepared myself much better if I'd known there was an actual ghost involved in your past too. Azrael wouldn't have gotten away with any of that if I'd known beforehand. If someone had told me that day that meeting you meant I would end up with the son I've always wanted who is not only a very capable young man, but someone that saw a potential for good and gave me the chance that Daniel never cared to even after I stopped seriously trying to end his father's life, I would gladly have welcomed you into my life sooner. I was truly blessed by that opportunity I got to meet you. And for once in my life I am able to make a lasting difference in someone's life that isn't about destroying them or taking control. From the bottom of my heart I wish you every bit of happiness I have to offer, and I sincerely hope that we'll never have a repeat of last night when you get the foolish notion into that head of yours that you're better off sacrificing what little you have left to offer for my sake. Well Owen, now I think I'll let you in on a little secret. None of this-" he gestured around them at the interior of the limousine, "-none of it matters to me as much as you do. You're my son, or will be before too long, and Daniel was right when he said that money cannot buy the happiness I've longed for for so long. It's right here, sitting right in front of me, the ONE thing in my life I am willing to put before myself. You have no idea how significant that is because as you know I am a horribly selfish person. When I discovered your powers I intended to take advantage of them and force you to accept me as either a master or a father. Knowing my original intentions, I never could have imagined myself fighting so hard to keep you when everything was out to snatch you out from under me just when my desire simply to possess you changed to the raw fear I know feel of losing you because finally, I had found someone who was willing to accept me. That's all either of us needed. Someone to love and accept us in our entirety. I've always accepted Daniel, but I know now that he'll never be mine. Even if I somehow got him to join my side, it would have been a forced relationship and more then likely his love for me would have been fabricated just as much as young _'Dani's'_ was. Once you've had a taste of real love, can you truly accept anything less?"

Frowning a bit when Vlad called Dani's love false, Owen sighed, "Is that it then? Because you have me now you're just going to ignore Dani? I was too focused on my own problems at the time but I felt it, she DID love you Vlad. Very much. You were her everything and fake or not, she tried to please you. Even now she's haunted by that compulsion-" looking out the window as the city lights flashed by, he rested his head against the cool glass and muttered, "It's like an instinct for ghosts to feel intimidated by the older more powerful spirits, they either stay out of their way or try to fight them and prove their dominance. You're her sire, the one who MADE her, so it's only natural that even distance couldn't weaken the hold you still have over Dani. I have the same hold over Azrael but...I don't want it. Just like you don't want it over Dani anymore either, that's the only way I can compare it in a way that you might understand. Acting on my own before was reckless, but, if we don't do anything about Azrael either this is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. We both have our demons to face, so starting tomorrow, I want to talk to you about everything. Where we're supposed to go from here and how we're going to stop Lilith since things have been way too quiet since her last attack. If you promise to take me seriously this time and at least meet me halfway, then I promise I won't do anything like what I did with Nocturne ever again unless I have to to escape or maybe even rescue you. Deal?"


	13. Follow Your Instincts

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (01/14/2018):** Got a little surprise for you guys in the second half of this chapter, someone special is making their debut into the story and I hope I do them justice. Seriously, to everyone reading this chapter that's signed up on here, I humbly request that you review it and let me know your thoughts in detail about this introduction. Or if you'd rather not, as sad as I'll be, then please PM me instead! I REALLY want to know how everyone reacts to this!

* * *

 _~Chapter 13~_

 _Follow Your Instincts_

* * *

After agreeing to Owen's terms they made another agreement to set everything else aside for now and simply enjoy their meal together. Of course there would be some serious talk but Vlad promised it would only be related to their plans after the adoption was finalized. Now that Owen was away from the miasma and thinking more clearly, it was easy to agree to keep their conversation tonight at least somewhat normal. At least their definition of _'normal.'_

Vlad was relieved when Owen seemed more at ease once they were well away from the mansion. And because of their agreement, Vlad made sure they kept their pre-dinner conversation to a minimum, focusing on safer subjects. Such as Owen's thoughts about Vlad's offer to let him help design their new home in Amity from scratch or simply buying an existing home and redesigning it for example. It wasn't long before Owen started happily listing off different ideas for rooms since, hello, money wasn't going to be an object at all which gave him a plenty of opportunity to show off a bit of his artistic talents in regards to interior designing...

"I can see why you wanted to make a career out of this, you've got a talent for this Owen," Vlad smiled, taking notes about Owen's ideas in a small notebook he kept in the compartment underneath his seat. Though usually he would hand it off to an assistant if he was riding with a client if they'd foolishly neglected to bring one of their own.

Blushing a bit at the compliment, Owen replied sheepishly, "I've always really places like churches and old historical buildings, who knows, maybe that's because I'm such an old soul. Literally!" His gaze softening at the memory he was about to recall, Owen continued, "When I was a little kid I really wished I could have a real stained glass door to my bedroom or maybe a window. I even tried to make one of my own by taping a bunch of transparent plastic to my window. It sort of worked and my mom took a picture of me when it was almost finished. I was sitting in the middle of the room still holding a piece of plastic in my hands, looking at the window as the light hit it and turned my bedroom into a living rainbow. Won first prize in some photography contest a year later. You know, I bet you could find it since I don't have the original copy. Most of my parents things are still in storage back at the house and I don't know where she kept it. In...in their will they left me the house in hopes that I would expand it someday for my family once I got married and became an architect. Technically I could claim the house once I turn eighteen but, you know." He shrugged, not wanting to voice his concerns about surviving that long or worrying Vlad by making him think he wanted to move out that soon.

His smile faltering a little at the mention of his parents, Vlad set down the notebook and clasped Owen's shoulders, "Owen, look at me. If you still feel like loving me means you're betraying them you're wrong. Some children who have two sets of parents when theirs get divorced and remarried have plenty of love to give both their biological parents and the new ones in their lives. Not saying this is true of everyone but please know that-"

"I'm not worried about that," Owen smiled sadly, looking into Vlad's worried eyes. "I just miss them, you know? I'll always miss them. And I'm always going to hate that I couldn't save them back then. That's why I was so scared of you meeting the same fate that I thought...maybe if they thought I was scared of you or hated you they'd leave you alone. Looks like that plan is out the window though because it's painfully obvious now that you're like a second father to me. I have to stop myself from thinking you won't be a match for the other demons out there but we're working on a solution right? Aren't you still working on more anti-demon weapons?"

With a sigh, Vlad allowed his hands to fall and reminded Owen, "I thought we agreed to steer clear of those subjects. But if you must know, yes, I have a team of talented scientists working on them now. Although, they actually don't know they're being designed to fight demons and not humans. I've done most of the research myself, however, it helps to have a few extra helpers in such an important project. I'm sure Daniel will be thrilled to know that -and if this doesn't prove I've changed nothing will- I've selected his parents as beta testers for some of the equipment I don't trust Valerie to be able to handle, as bright and talented as she is."

"Whoa, seriously? You gave Jack and Maddie Fenton anti-demon weapons?!" Owen asked, his jaw hitting the floor.

Vlad shook his head. "No not exactly. I'm not comfortable giving them weapons just yet for fear of them being _'tested'_ on a certain Phantom we know. What I have given them to test should be harmless to most ghosts and Daniel has enough sense to stay away if anything effects his ghost half. Trust me, the temptation to tamper with Jack's suit was almost too much to resist but we need genuine results and I'm done trying to get the upper hand on him, it's not as fun as it used to be now that I have a more important reputation to think about-" pursing his lips ever so slightly, Vlad admitted- "I wouldn't want my son to think of me as the bad guy bullying others to get my way anymore, as fun as it is."

Owen blinked a few times and was about to bust up laughing when they suddenly stopped. Puzzled, he looked out of the one way window and observed that they were in a normal looking parking lot rather then a fancy lane with a valet and everything, "What gives? We're not there yet so why did we stop and park in a place like this?"

"Good question," Vlad replied with a low growl, calling to the driver. "Care to explain yourself Marcus?"

Turning around, the driver replied meekly, "My apologies Mr. Masters, we were being followed so I took the liberty of taking us around back through the VIP entrance of the building next door. The bodyguards are ready and waiting for you both to escort you inside and over to the restaurant. I hope I didn't overstep my bounds but you two were deeply engaged in your conversation and I thought it rude to interrupt."

If only because this was one of Vlad's most trusted drivers for the few times he ever really needed to ride in the limo, he felt inclined to be a little more lenient so waved the driver off, "There's no need to apologize. I'm grateful for your consideration. Once Owen has exited the limo you may take us through the front, it doesn't matter if anyone sees me but I don't want them disturbing my son. He's not ready to handle them yet for personal reasons. Understood?"

"Yes sir," the driver nodded, putting the limo in park and then opening the door to walk around and open it for Owen.

In the few seconds they had completely alone as the driver made his way around, Owen asked, "You're leaving me here? Why? I think I can handle a few reporters Vlad. You don't have to..." he trailed off though when Vlad gave him a stern look.

"I have no doubt that you CAN handle it but the truth of the matter is I don't want you to have to. Tonight is about you, Owen, and I want you to have a good time. This isn't actually about training you for the ways of an upper-class citizen, that will come later. For now, I'm afraid you'll just have to let me be a little overly cautious."

"Fine," Owen sighed, smiling nevertheless. "Whatever you say Vlad the Dad."

Caught off guard by the new twist on their _'Vlad the Impaler'_ joke Vlad just stared after Owen as the door opened and he stepped out, giving Vlad a small wave and telling him he'd see him inside. After that the driver escorted Owen over to the two bodyguards waiting for him and one of them was the same guy from the charity event! He couldn't place the guy's name at the moment but Owen felt safer since it was someone he knew at least a little. Meanwhile the other guy was new to him but had a good aura so Owen felt safe in their care. Just to be safe though Vlad created a duplicate right where he was sitting and phased out of the car, letting it give the driver more instructions as he himself followed close behind Owen.

Sensing him _'go ghost'_ as Danny put it right away, Owen spared the real Vlad floating behind them a glance and mouthed _'worry wart'_ before allowing the bodyguards to lead him inside the building. Avoiding the press was nothing new to Vlad, he often put the double in his place so it would act accordingly yet he wouldn't have to actually feel the annoyance of having to deal with such troublesome people. His duplicates couldn't think for themselves, they were merely extensions of himself, like a arm or a leg being given signals from the brain to move in a certain way.

Although, they did have a sort of _'instinct'_ for self-preservation and following the original's orders and mannerism's to a T. That was always helpful, especially in situations like this. And since Vlad had years more practice then Daniel, he could even maintain several duplicates even from a distance. Vlad knew Owen was aware of his presence but decided to keep his distance anyway to give him room to breath despite how accustomed he was to him now. In fact, upon thinking this Vlad stopped in midair when it struck him how...protective he was of Owen.

A little over a month ago, Owen was merely an asset Vlad happened upon by accident he planned to use if it turned out his powers were legitimate. Though he later found out their paths had crossed purposefully, honestly, Vlad didn't care about that anymore. Something else struck him though, about Owen's powers and more specifically how it effects ghosts. Of all the ghost's they have encountered thus far, none of them had any desire to hurt Owen. If anything most of them were either compelled to use him or protect him. Could it be that Owen was onto something? Was it a ghost's instinct to protect Owen the longer they were exposed to his presence, to obey him...?

Taking that into account maybe Owen was unconsciously compelling his ghost half to be more overprotective of him and it wasn't just Vlad himself that felt this way. He supposed it was better then the alternative, feeling all of his old hatred pressing down on him and making the air so heavy it was hard to breathe. In fact Vlad welcomed it, having a higher purpose in his life now. It was thanks to Owen that Vlad already had everything he could ever want now, he didn't need the world anymore just as Daniel said to Owen back in Nocturne's Keep...

His most precious possession was Owen. Plain and simple. And Vlad no longer cared to concern himself with the details and for once was content on following his heart rather then his rational thoughts. At least in regards to the pros and cons of allowing himself to submit to the unconscious compulsions of his new necromancer son.

* * *

 _Another uneventful day,_ a certain ghost lamented, huffing in annoyance. _Just how long am I going to have to bide my time in this stupid prison? Once I get out of here, they're going to regret standing in my-hmm? What's this...?_

Sensing a familiar presence, a toothy grin crept up on his face and he practically purred, _Well well well, look who finally decided to give in and pay me a visit? Hello, Danny._

Certain that they could hear him even from the confines of his prison, the powerful ghost smirked upon feeling a delectable wave of fear and uncertainty waft his way. Ah, how long as it been since he felt this level of fear? It was positively intoxicating! Even more so since it came from such a familiar source. He was suddenly caught off guard though when the voice belonged to someone else other then who he had been expecting, making him growl deeply.

"Who are you? And how do you know my cousin? Talk," the young girl demanded and he felt a rush of ectoenergy surge through the air from surprisingly closeby.

 _Cousin? I don't have a cousin with ghost powers,_ he mused, more curious then anything. _It's a long story but why don't you tell me who you are first and explain why, exactly, you feel just like him._

"No way, I'm not telling you anything! If Danny put you in that and left you with Clockwork then you must be a bad guy. I'm not falling for any of your tricks," she huffed, well actually...she started breathing heavily and groaned, staggering and falling against the table where the thermos sat after letting the energy fade from her hands. Clockwork had taken it from it's previous place with the excuse of needing to re-check the sealing runes carved into the walls, when really it was so this chance meeting would take place.

Sensing her weakness, he cooed, _What happened? Not feeling well? Or perhaps you've been working too hard if you play the hero as much as your '_ cousin' _does._

Shuttering, she pulled away from the table and in a frightened voice, she pleaded fearfully, "Don't talk like that, please...you sound just like my father."

Surprised by her meek request, he prodded, _Your father? Who is he? Do you have ghost powers because of him? Or are you- no, even HE wouldn't do something so stupid. Then again, I suppose I don't know him as well anymore in this timeline. Very well girl. Since I cannot introduce myself to you properly while I'm confined like this I suppose there's no harm in just exchanging our names now is there?_

Nodding, she replied unsurely, "I...I guess not."

 _Excellent,_ he smirked, adopting his most charming voice before uttering a name that once brought fear and chaos wherever it was heard, though sadly it didn't have any effect in this world. Not to anyone besides though who knew he existed however. And with that, he said with deliberate slowness, _My name...is Dan. What might yours be?_

Confused by the fact that he made it sound like she SHOULD already know and fear his name she replied, "I'm Dani, it's like his name but with an _'i'_ instead of a _'y.'_ As for you, you must have done something really bad for Danny to leave you in a thermos even in the Ghost Zone when he usually just lets them go. I'll have to go ask Clockwork..."

 _Ah, but why ask him when you can ask ME?_ Dan challenged playfully, deciding to be a little bit honest so he could gain her trust and maybe trick this little girl into freeing him. Even if he couldn't leave Clockwork's tower, if Dan took over and sent others in to do his dirty work, then maybe there was still a chance to rebuild the future he came from and get rid of those pests he once called friends. Still, even he actually felt a smidgen of this and asked, _As you say, I can't get out of here and it gets really boring when there's nothing to do but listen to clocks tick all day so why not let me tell you my story? I'm not entirely sure why you're here or WHAT you are but, it beats sitting here alone all day._

Thinking carefully, Dani sat on the floor since she still felt feverish after that small outburst and then nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see her do that and then finally sighed, "Clockwork's too busy to talk to me right now so sure, why not? You sound enough like him already so go ahead, tell me all about your master plan and how Danny kicked your butt and landed you here."

 _My dear, with any luck I'll be getting my revenge. And even if I can't that's all that helps me get to sleep at night these days, watching as his world falls apart and his heart collapses in on itself until nothing is left but a black withered thing where his heart once was._ He laughed, expecting her to get angry and disregard his threat by saying Danny was stronger then that but she was too busy focusing on her breathing which was becoming a bit labored. Not that he actually cared, but Dan asked anyway, _What's with the silent treatment? Ghosts don't get sick so...are you wounded? Is that why you're here? For enough 'time' to heal...?_

"No..." Dani replied tearfully, feeling scared all of a sudden and not because this ghost felt so much more powerful then even Vlad. "It's more like...he's buying me more time to live..."


	14. Elegance And Etiquette

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

* * *

 _~Chapter 14~_

 _Elegance And Etiquette_

 _ _(Chapter inspired by That's The Way It Is by__ _Céline_ _ _Dion)__

* * *

Owen's jaw dropped when they entered the actual restaurant in the next building over. It was designed like a medieval dining hall with crystal chandeliers, silk table cloths, upholstered chairs made of polished mahogany, intricate carpeting that reminded him of more of a tapestry, and a beautiful vaulted ceiling. Everything was evenly lit and the color scheme was warm and welcoming. For the most part anyway if you didn't count a few rich snobs looking down their nose at everyone at the other tables as well as their own waiters. It almost spoiled the overall mood of this place, refined and relaxing.

Now he understood why Vlad insisted on him wearing classier cloths, and when he glanced around at the other people enjoying their meals Owen suddenly felt under-dressed. Especially after seeing a little boy half his age wearing a suit that was virtually identical to the man across from him that Owen assumed was his father...

Speaking of 'fathers,' Owen looked around for him with his eyes while making sure not to swing his head around and look lost but he couldn't see him. Had he fallen behind? Maybe Vlad got tired of hiding as a ghost and resumed his human form, after all the limo should have pulled out in front by now. Either way Owen wasn't too worried and obediently followed his escorts to their private room when something made him stop.

Over in the far corner of the dining room there was an empty table with a single rose resting in a vase, which made it stand out since all of the other tables were more finely adorned. Not a minute later, an elderly man was escorted to that table and as soon as he sat down a shiver ran up Owen's spine and puff of cold air escaped his lips as a woman appeared in the seat directly across from the old man.

She looked like someone taken straight out of a painting. Her eyes were a soft peridot green and her bright red hair was neatly tucked into a bun at the nape of her neck with a net of pearls keeping it in place. However, her pale blue dress was torn slightly at the hem and to Owen's shock he noticed that there was a gaping hole in her chest. Did that mean she was shot by someone? Who was she? His lover? A daughter? Owen wasn't really sure and was tempted to ask when he realized that his bodyguards and a few other patrons were giving him weird looks since he'd been staring at the old man for a solid minute so he shook his head, blushing a little, and walked away.

While passing one of the tables, Owen heard a couple of women whispering to each other, "Isn't that the little boy Vlad Masters is adopting?"

"My word I think it is!" the other whispered back eagerly. "What a strange looking child, but he is rather handsome. I'm sure my daughter Laura could easily woo him."

Rolling her eyes her companion scoffed, "Oh please, that girl of yours wouldn't know the first thing about talking to boys at her age. Now my Alissa on the other hand-"

Owen had half a mind to stop and ask them who exactly they thought was a _'little boy'_ but thought better of it and ignored them, letting their voices fade as the distance between them grew. He was going to have to get used to people seeing as nothing but a piece of meat attached to the Masters' fortune and anyone with a daughter would be foisting them on him left and right, hoping to ensnare him with their honeyed words. Too bad for them Owen was an excellent judge of character and would see right through most of their lies unless they themselves believed them to be true.

Still, Owen was more concerned about the ghost of the woman he just saw. Who knew there'd be a ghost even in a fancy place like this? Vlad might know something about this so Owen put it on the back-burner for now and settled into the private dining room Vlad reserved for them once the bodyguards scanned it for hidden bugs or cameras then excused themselves now that their job was done. All that was left now was to wait for Vlad to get there either as a ghost or in his human form again.

So in the meantime, Owen admired the look of this room too. Since it was a private room it looked slightly different then the rest of the restaurant, having a single smaller chandelier above the table and only two chairs. The table was large enough to fit at least six people at capacity but since it was in the standard shape of a circle it didn't feel too large when there were only two like there were tonight. Behind the table was a window that peered down to the streets below -because yes Owen had taken the elevator up with the two bodyguards and was now on the top floor- where the city lights looked like stars that had fallen to earth yet continued to flicker against the darkness. It was positioned in such a way that the occupants of the room could look down but no one on the outside could look in through the tinted glass.

On the table itself sat a pair of crystal glasses sat that were cut in such a way at its base that it mimicked frost. Then there were the table settings with the standard fork, knife, spoon, and napkin all neatly folded to their right leaving a space open for the eventual entree's he and Vlad would be ordering. Owen assumed a waiter would be arriving shortly to give them their menus and fill those crystal glasses with water after they ordered their drinks, leaving them for a little while to let them decide on what to eat. To be honest, Owen was a little intimidated by all of this. Sure his parents taught him etiquette so that he'd know what to do if he ever brought a girl somewhere fancy but nothing could have prepared him for this level of refinery and Owen had a feeling that the silverware had been simplified for that exact reason because on Vlad's side of the table there were more spoons and forks then any one person should need...

"Impressed are we?" Vlad chuckled, startling Owen who jerked in his seat and whirled around to look at him.

Holding a hand over his hammering heart, Owen pouted, "Geez, you scared me! I was wondering what happened to you after you sent the-" he stopped however as the waiter walked in behind Vlad, escorting his esteemed guest to his chair which they promptly pulled out then waited for him to settle in before glancing at them both and introducing himself. He was wearing a classic waiter outfit, though it was classier then most, and had a head of platinum blonde hair that was slicked back that made his hazel eyes stand out, being the only colorful feature on him. Other then that he was pretty average looking if you didn't count the overly groomed look of his hair...

"Good evening, my name is Harold and I will be your waiter tonight," he bowed to us, well, mostly to Vlad before handing us our menus. Clapping his hands, Harold signaled for the other waiters or waitresses to come in and pour them some water in those crystal glasses Owen was admiring moments ago. It took every ounce of self control Owen had not to burst out laughing at a scene right out of a movie.

They were asking Vlad what vintage of wine he wanted to drink and upon getting their answer one of them turned to him, a waitress with short curly black hair who smiled as she asked, "And what would you like to drink young man? We have almost everything you'd like to drink here so don't be shy."

Pondering on her question, Owen smiled mischievously and surprised them by ordering the opposite of what they were expecting him to. Being a teenager obviously they must have expected him to order something boring like a Coke or a Dr. Pepper, but no, instead he ordered a Shirley Temple. Even Vlad was taken aback by his choice having expected the same as the rest of them.

"Very good Sirs," Harold bowed again, shooing the other two away. "We'll be back shortly with your drinks and will be ready to take your order whenever you're ready. Should you need anything I will be attending to the guests in the other private rooms. I hope you enjoy your visit with us tonight Mr. Masters."

Raising an eyebrow, Vlad smiled a little too sweetly and pointed out, "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

Paling a bit, the man swallowed and inclined his head at Owen, "O-of course not, I was referring to both of you. Now if you'll excuse me."

After that he made a hasty retreat and Owen noticed a slight flush in his cheeks and a flicker of indignity but it wasn't that big of a deal. Once they were alone, Owen called Vlad out on it. "You didn't have to put him on the spot like that Vlad. He's just doing his job."

Folding his legs and resting his hands on one knee, Vlad nodded and replied coolly, "Exactly. And when he's serving such important clients it is imperative that he not forget to address each and every one of his guests properly. The fact that you are still an adolescent is no excuse for blatantly ignoring you. Especially when you're my son. I will not stand being shown such disrespect and you shouldn't either."

With a sigh, Owen relented, "Yeah I get the picture, you don't have to say it." Smiling playfully Owen adopted a very formal and regal tone, mirroring Vlad's posture and said dramatically, "As your only heir I will be expected to uphold the name of Masters. We may not be related by blood but soon I will become a part of the family and everything will be different. Because of that name alone and the power it holds, people will seek to use, destroy, and humiliate you regardless of how you treat them so you must stand tall. Whether you are kindly or cruel they will want to use me so I mustn't let my guard down even for a second. They're vultures, the lot of them! You should know since you have three actual vulture ghosts that serve under you. Ha ha ha."

"Owen I'm being serious," Vlad frowned, unamused.

Shaking his head, Owen chuckled, "So am I. For the most part anyway. You worry too much Vlad. I've been through all of this before remember? A long time ago I was a Ravenheart and they were upper-class citizens too. I overheard some older lady's at a table I passed plotting to play matchmaker with their daughters. Speaking of which, I saw something else interesting. But before I tell you, where do you wander off to before? I lost sight of you once the bodyguards led me to the elevator."

Recomposing himself Vlad admitted, "I got a little distracted but I assure you, once I realized I'd stayed behind too long I easily caught up with you. Once I was sure you were safely inside the restaurant I went back to the limo and made my grand entrance. We'll probably see pictures of me in the paper tomorrow wondering if I came here on a date with a celebrity or to meet with a client, bent on buying their business from them like I have so many others. Too bad they don't know I'm simply enjoying a nice father and son dinner this evening."

"Ah, I thought that might have been it," Owen nodded, tracing the rim of his glass and smiling again as it started to hum softly. "So anyway...while we were walking past those matchmaker-moms I noticed and empty table with a single rose in a vase on it where an old man sat there alone but there was an empty chair placed in front of him. I was wondering, do you know anything about him? He looks familiar, like some famous musician or something."

"Oh, you must mean Edgar Von Strauss," Vlad pondered. "I come to this restaurant often so I've seen him here quite a lot. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I saw the ghost of a woman appear in the seat across from him. She had red hair tied in a bun at the base of her neck, green eyes, was wearing a blue dress, and had a bullet wound in her chest," Owen said as-a-matter-of-factually, ignoring how Vlad's eyes widened in surprise.

Clearing his throat and glancing at the door to make sure it wasn't going to open any time soon Vlad explained, "The woman you're likely referring to is the late Aisling Von Strauss, his younger sister who was killed just outside one night when someone tried to rob them. Are you telling me you saw her ghost?"

Glancing out the window, Owen nodded, "Yeah I did. I was tempted to go over there and say something but, we promised no ghosts tonight. Well, not talking about them anyway. I just was wondering if you knew anything. I can't do anything without causing a scene anyway so I'll just have to leave them be I guess."

Picking up his menu and motioning for Owen to do the same, Vlad stated clearly, "It is not up to you to save EVERY ghost you come across Owen, the amount of time and effort you would have to put in is something no single person could handle so you were right to leave well enough alone. We've discussed this. I don't want you going around playing hero like Daniel does. I've seen how difficult it can be and you have enough on your plate as it is adjusting to our new life together. As long as you live under my roof there are rules you have to follow, rules that I've neglected to make very clear given the Nocturne incident. I want you to receive a proper education, and start preparing for the future. I will not stand idly by while you throw away any possibility of a future because you feel forced into the role of savior to all ghosts. Yes, perhaps you ARE their only hope. But that doesn't mean they have the right to dictate how you live the rest of your life. The only reason I'm doing so right now is because you've already sacrificed so much and I want you to rely on me and see that you do have a choice now regarding your future and someone who is willing to provide you with all the necessary skills you need to lead a productive life that balances both what you want with what you have to do. But enough about that, order whatever you like because Harold will be back any minute to check up on us."

* * *

To redeem himself after the slip up earlier Harold took Owen's order first. Vlad had to explain what a few things on the menu were since they were in a foreign language but Owen managed to order something called a Chicken Kiev, which was a breaded chicken breast stuffed with garlic and parsley in a buttery sauce. As a side Owen ordered steamed broccoli and herbed rice.

Vlad meanwhile ordered a dish called Salmon Wellington with Dilled Hollandaise, since Owen got him in the mood for a dish served with herbs. It would go well with the wine he ordered anyway. And after that, Vlad finally commented on how surprised he was when Owen ordered a Shirley Temple as his drink and was honestly curious as to what it was exactly. Owen explained it was basically just Sprite with cherry Grenadine, a type of syrup. Even Vlad knew what Grenadine was since there were a few drinks he enjoyed that used it as well but this was the first time he'd heard that it was commonly used in a non-alcholic beverage as well.

At first their discussion had started out more serious then he'd hoped but eventually Vlad manuvered the coversation towards the more relaxed subjects such as hiring Owen's tutor and getting ready for their next interview with the social workers. He even brought up the possibility of hiring a ghost tutor that was highly recommended to him named Ghost Writer. Owen wasn't thrilled with the idea at first until he remembered that not all ghosts were evil and told Vlad he'd keep an open mind about it. When Vlad mentioned that Ghost Writer was as much of an avid reader as Owen and loved poetry though it made him feel a little more comfortable with the idea. After all, how evil could a ghostly poet really be...?

"You're really determined to get me used to being around ghosts, aren't you?" Owen laughed, finishing the last bite of chicken and feeling kind of sad about it since it was amazing before his expression grew more serious upon realizing it was almost time to head back home. "Do I detect a bit of concern that I'm still not used to your ghost half? Vlad I got over that a long time ago. The problem now is that miasma that's built up over the years that you never realized it because it doesn't effect you, you can't see it, but it comes from how you felt and left echoes of those feelings in the form of that strange fog. Even then, something feels off about it, like it's not just your feelings mixed into it but someone elses. I'm not sure who since there's no way it's the Dairy King you told me about. Has anyone else lived in that castle or was it just him?"

"There was a previous owner yes but he moved away long before I arrived and died before the Dairy King took residence there," Vlad replied, wiping his mouth and setting the napkin aside. "Are you sure you want to do this tonight? We've had quite a rough time the last two days."

Owen just rolled his eyes, "Yes I'm sure, you took me out to have an amazing dinner and getting away from that stuff really helped to clear my head. I didn't realize until it was too later how much it had gotten to me. Guess I still have a long way to go before I'm immune to the power of darkness too, or at least more resistant to it. Besides, the longer we leave the mansion like that the more likely it'll be that I'll have another meltdown and ruin everything we've worked so hard for if a social worker makes a surprise visit. No Vlad, we have to get this done now."

"Very well Owen, if you're sure about this," Vlad relented, but not before adding with a wicked smile, "However, I do have one more excuse up my sleeve I can use to delay our departure a little while longer. Think you have enough room for dessert Owen?"

"Vlad, that's not even a question," Owen smirked back just as wickedly. "I'll always have room for dessert..."


	15. Phantoms Of The Heart

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (01/20/2018):** Just to be safe, I'm sort of making up my own cleansing ritual because I don't want to get into anything too...accurately religious I guess. This is a supernatural story with a few biblical figures but I dunno, I felt weird researching actual cleansing methods. Weird huh? So anyway I'll be drawing some inspiration from DNAngel where the character Dark uses feathers in his spells. Figured it'd fit nicely in here since Owen is a necromancer and the familiars tied to his family are usually ravens or crows.

 **P.S.** Don't forget to leave a review when you're done reading!

 **Note (01/22/2018):** You know what? I felt guilty pulling the last-minute-Clockwork- interference card with sending the future Vlad over to talk to his past self so I've decided to re-write part of this chapter. Just like I hate over relying on things like time travel and amnesia to magically fix everything or give all the answers, I don't like relying too much on such an all knowing character such as Clockwork. I might do something along these lines later but this felt too soon and kind of...lazy on my part just randomly slapping that in there. Anyway if you've read the previous version I'm sorry for the sudden chance, as for the new readers I hope this version turns out better then the last. Oh and I'm renaming this chapter too from "Not A Moment To Lose" to what it is now below.

* * *

 _~Chapter 15~_

 _Phantoms Of The Heart_

 _(Chapter inspired by Duality by Set It Off)_

* * *

 _"It's kind of bittersweet. The human spirit is not measured by the size of the act, but by the size of the heart." **Yakov Smirnoff**_

* * *

After changing back into something more comfortable, Owen began making preparations for the cleansing ritual. Turns out there was more then one method to do this but Owen chose the one most familiar to him and the one Vlad deemed the most effective without looking too dangerous. He knew he shouldn't coddle the boy yet at the same time Vlad wished they could call in a professional despite how it might look if anyone caught wind of this. For now Vlad was just going to have to trust Owen like he promised to...

The first thing Owen did as soon as they got home was summon a raven which to Vlad's surprise came immediately to his beckoned call and affectionately nipped at his nose. Stroking its breast feathers, Owen asked, "Sorry but could I take some of your feathers? I need them for a cleansing ritual."

In response it simply ruffled said feathers and cawed, curling its head down as if to preen itself and plucked some feathers out. It probably wouldn't be enough but Owen took them anyway as it dropped them from its beak. As a reward Owen stroked it some more, kind of wishing he had some meat scraps or something instead, then sent it on its way back out the window.

"Have you always been able to do that?" Vlad asked mildly, closing the window and glancing back at Owen.

"What, communicate with ravens and crows? Yeah pretty much. They've always been naturally drawn to me and I used to enjoy feeding them at the local park near my house. My mom made me stop though when she found out, claiming they were wild and dirty animals. There was this one old guy too that saw them as bad omens and always chased them off that visited the same park. But they're not evil. Like most animals associated with magic and the occult people tend to...mistreat them," looking pained, Owen stared out the window, adding, "Still, at least the ghosts of animals are more honest then people and already know where they're meant to be...so its easier for them to let go of their grudges."

"Putting all of that aside, what are we supposed to do next?" Vlad asked in all seriousness.

Turning around, Owen started walking away and replied, "We go to the heart of this darkness and start from there. You're probably going to remember a lot of things you don't want to but...it's part of you being half ghost. It's not all about just having powers, it never was, it's also about feelings. And something else.."

Vlad knew he was right but it was still strange how right Owen was about him from the start, that he was in fact a vengeful spirit. It made sense when Vlad considered how classic ghost stories are told, although there were vast differences too since there was a science in how ghosts function too, making them more -for lack of a better word- tangible.

There was a truth in what Owen said a long time ago, that not everyone can become a ghost. For one thing, most humans when they died went somewhere unknown to Vlad. He was sure of it. Especially since human souls are so valuable and their life energy often fuels the powers of certain ghosts. Such as Ember for example whom even Vlad was familiar with, though he never understood why youngsters enjoyed that sort of peppy-pop sort of music. So it made that they would need a sanctuary from hostile ghosts and more importantly demons or Wraiths as Owen was starting to call them.

At any rate, the truth of the matter is that not all humans could become ghosts and not all ghosts were ever human to begin with. In fact, to Vlad's knowledge the majority of the ghosts in the Ghost Zone weren't previously human which was why they were so eager to come over to this side and take advantage of the energy that only the living could provide. It was almost similar to how demons ironically preferred to feed off of the negativity of ghost energy.

Once again Vlad was wrapped up in his thoughts while Owen set about placing the feathers in a circle and stood in the middle after carving several runes, one for each direction. Owen had chosen to change into a simple red turtleneck and slacks since he figured that this room was going to get very cold when he summoned all of the latent miasma in the building to one place. As for Vlad, he wasn't going to like what he saw, all of those painful reminders of what he had become and how it came to pass. But if they were ever going to move forward from this, Vlad would have to confront those feelings.

* * *

Owen was still unconvinced that all of this dark residue came from just Vlad. Some of it might be from his ghostly minions and accumulated into this thick haze over the years -similar to how random specters form in the Ghost Zone when enough ectoplasm gathers and creates a shadow of consciousness- or there could be something worse carefully concealing itself in the shadows waiting for its chance to strike.

Exhaling a deep breath, Owen mirrored what he did when he summoned that portal to call for Azrael and began chanting, "Lumen remanebit quidquam mali. Et relinquam in profundum laci de tenebris sciatur. Idcirco praecipio tibi ut forma revelare verum tuae. Ostende mihi faciem cordis de tenebris!" _(In the light, nothing evil will remain. Leave the recesses of the dark and be known. I command you to reveal your true form. Show me the heart of the dark!)_

Watching Owen actually perform a ritual like this was rather surreal. Sure, he had seen Owen perform smaller spells before but nothing like this if you didn't count when he banished the demoness that killed his informant looking for clues about Owen's lineage and tried to kill him and take Owen away. He knew Owen wasn't being overshadowed by his old memories again but somehow, Owen looked very natural and composed, as if he'd done this a million times before.

Vlad was about to ask how long this might take when his ghost sense went off and he stiffened, ready to transform when he looked over and saw that it was because Owen had unconsciously shifted into his other form. His eyes had fallen half-laden as the darkness that had previously been invisible to Vlad's eyes without Owen's help, began snaking across the floor as the circle of feathers had become a vacuum. Once enough of it gathered, the feathers lifted straight up, quill first, and started to glow, forming a small flame on top as if they'd transformed into candle sticks. Honestly Vlad wasn't sure which he felt strongest, the gathering darkness Owen was pulling towards himself, or the comforting warmth of Owen's flame that drew Vlad closer too.

He even took a step forward unconsciously too before catching himself and shaking his head, "As always there's a downside to Owen being a necromancer, even I find it difficult to resist his power nowadays. Other ghosts I can fight back against and assert my dominance, demons, I can destroy, but this...I'll just have to get used to it and not get lulled by its welcoming embrace. If Owen ever realized he-!"

A gasp escaped Vlad's lips when the darkness didn't take on human shape like The Grimoire stated that it would and instead began seeping into Owen's skin! Alarmed, Vlad rushed forward only to get blasted back by the cleansing circle. Vlad was sorely tempted to change into his ghost half but knew it would only make this more difficult so he tried to suppress his ghost half enough to get close enough to the circle to touch the barrier.

"Owen! I thought you said this cleansing ritual would be safe!" Vlad shouted, "You have to stop!"

"I can't stop once I've started," Owen explained airily. "There still so much we don't understand about this other form of mine, but now I figured out something when I was reading about how to perform this type of cleansing. The reason I looked like Nocturne before when he poured his power into me, it's because I was trying to cleanse his spirit with my necroenergy. The only reason I couldn't to it then is because my own spirit and body were too weak. The same goes for Venom's poison which invaded my necromancer form when I left my body behind. This is no different...you have to trust me on this. I'll be alright, I promise. Just don't break the circle no matter what you see or hear me say."

"But I...!" Vlad protested when his eyes widened in shock. While they were talking Owen's normally glowing blue arms slowly faded to a familiar electric pink and his white hair darkened to black like the hairline his lower on his neck. His skin faded to blue as well and his eyes went from two variants of blue to solid red.

As if sensing that it was no longer needed, The Grimoire burst into blue flames and transported itself outside of the circle, appearing on the counter beside Vlad. Owen tensed for a moment, resisting the invasion of Vlad's darkness in the form of this miasma until he gave into it to let the memories flow through his mind so that he would better understand how to erase it. Meanwhile, during the time his consciousness was walking through memory-lane, Owen's body became overshadowed by Vlad's old feelings and a feral grin spread over his cheeks.

" _At last, all of the pieces are in place and that oaf Jack will be here soon,_ " Owen laughed wickedly. " _As they say, revenge is a dish best served cold..._ "

Stepping back from the circle reluctantly, Vlad turned away as if ashamed to hear his own words come out of Owen's mouth when said person rushed at the barrier, still grinning. " _What's wrong V-man? Feeling a little guilty? As if you could ever feel anything real. Everything about you is fake. Admit it! Even now all that interests you is power!_ "

Familiar with this game now Vlad rolled his eyes, "Don't play coy with me, shadow. I know perfectly well you're just trying to provoke me."

" _Oh? You've figured it out have you?_ " Owen cooed, leaning back and putting his hands behind his back in a very Vlad-like manner. " _I wonder, how well do you really understand yourself Vladimir? I am you after all, and so is HE._ "

Gesturing behind Vlad, he glanced back ever so carefully and saw a version of himself from his college days looking tired and defeated, his hair stark white much like Danny's and his eyes were a pale misty blue.

" _As if Maddie would ever accept a monster like me,_ " the younger Vlad said, touching his terribly disfigured face which began bleeding.

Getting annoyed more then anything Vlad snapped, "No, if Jack hadn't hoarded all of her attention I would have stood more of a chance. If she has the capacity to accept her son Daniel someday, then surely she will accept me now that I've changed."

" _Really? You think that she could possibly..._ " the younger Vlad asked hopefully when the dark one inside of Owen sneered.

" _And there's the real Vlad we all know, the bald-faced liar! The worse lies you tell though are clearly to yourself though. You don't believe that even for a second. Which is precisely why you tried so hard to get Daniel to join your side. It was not only to protect the naive boy from the truth that his own parents would likely have disowned him or worse if they discovered his secret, but to claim the son that should have rightfully been yours,_ " walking within the confines of the circle he continued coldly, " _After all, why should that pathetic human man be blessed with a half-ghost son when you were already half ghost BECAUSE of the same man? He doomed his own son to suffering through the same half-life we did! Who knows what will become of us now. Will our human bodies wither and die with age like the rest of the human race? Or will we be cursed to wander the Earth as living corpses? Do you know? And what about Owen, will he remain with you that long or will he abandon you the moment his parents souls have been freed? Now that we have the perfect son, no one is going to take him away from us. Surely you feel the same? Now that you have him, aren't you afraid he'll realize what a monster you are and run away again...?_ "

Glancing at his college self, who looked equally curious as he was uncertain, the real Vlad crossed his arms and relented, "True, I did feel that way, and part of me still does in regards to my concerns for Daniel. You of all people -well shadows rather- should understand my concerns. When I realized just how much I had physically changed, I was devastated. And those first few people I tried to open up to looked at me with only fear and disgust despite all of the good I tried to do while discovering just what exactly I was capable of. That, along with the hatred I felt towards Jack and to some degree even Maddie for abandoning me was all that kept me going. But I don't need that hatred anymore, not when I have Owen now."

The younger Vlad, who up until then only stared unsurely between his older self and the possessed boy suddenly stepped closer to the circle and regarded Owen a bit more closely. " _He...accepted me? After everything I've done, after all the monstrous things I've subjected him and Daniel to- What? Who in the world is Daniel? What is this?"_

Narrowing his gaze dangerously at the other Vlad, the shadow Vlad scoffed, " _The fact that YOU still exist astounds me really. I thought I smothered you a long time ago when I embraced the monster within. The real Vladimir knows that all too well. For all he knows, not all of the changes that happened would have if not for his feelings. Monsters aren't born, they are created. Even I know I'm not a demon, but I do know this-"_ glaring at both Vlad's his energy spiked and he snarled, "- _try as you might you will NEVER be a hero. Even if you save him from Lilith, as you've seen already there will be others. So if you want to keep him safe then you must be willing to go past the limits you set for yourself long ago. You must purge any lingering weaknesses. That part of you IS weakness! Destroy him, and nothing will keep us from once and for all placing the fear of Plasmius into the world so that no one, not a ghost, human, or demon will ever take away what is rightfully yours. Isn't that the real reason you crave power? To prevent the same weakness that cost you Maddie when if you had only spoken sooner she would have-!"_

When understanding dawned on him, the younger Vlad turned to his older self and said, " _He's right, we're both a part of you and if only one of us survives, I want it to be my stronger half. I can't lose the person I care about the most. I refuse to entertain the possibility."_

"What?" both the real Vlad and shadow Vlad asked in unison, taken aback by the college Vlad's bold declaration.

Seeing that both pairs of eyes were glue to him, the younger Vlad sighed and turned his back to them, " _You both claim to be me yet you've already forgotten what it was like for us back then? We tried to be good, and when that didn't work we took the easy path. The path of evil. Besides, the truth of the matter is that we secretly hated Jack from the start since he was the only obstacle standing between us and courting Maddie ourselves. They had something we didn't, an existing connection. That's why we fought that much harder to create one only to find that it was all in vain. Truth be told we never stood a chance against the love between two childhood friends. The three of us only met in college after all and had bonded over a mutual fascination with ghosts and the supernatural. Nothing else connected us. We do however have a connection not only to this boy but also to this...Daniel. It frightens us thinking that once again someone will swoop in and take that from us. That's why, for his sake, I'd rather be the half that disappears again. The weak get brushed aside, but the strong hold on to the bitter end. So go on Vlad, do it! Choose now what kind of a half-ghost you want to be, a weak worthless one like me, or a strong and immovable one who is not afraid of being the one doing the taking?"_


	16. What Makes Us Human

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (01/25/2018):** Sixteen chapters in and only two reviews huh? That's...kind of discouraging. But even so I shall write on I guess since this story still means a lot to me and I hope someone will make a comment soon. I know this hasn't turned out exactly like "The Grimoire" and at the moment is kind of all over the place, however, things should be looking up soon as soon as the last few issues are taken care of and then I'll probably be doing a time lapse -aka fast forwarding a little- to end the formalities so that Owen's adoption becomes official and they can FINALLY move to Amity Park. That's where things should get REALLY interesting. Namely because Owen will not only be encountering many of Danny's enemies, whom he'll be able to defend himself against by then after constant training with Vlad, but he'll also have to deal with going back to school as well as both the perks and downfalls of being a Masters. I WAS going to put Owen in Casper High too but decided against it after reading a certain fanfiction yet again called _"Running To The Enemies Arms"_ by _"deadlydaisy8o8"_ , um, spoiler I guess but just hear me out. For one thing, sending Owen to a _"commoners"_ school would probably make Vlad look like he was being a cheapskate with his newly adopted son, plus as luck would have it Owen was already pretty smart for his age and has the added advantage of reading aura's to tell who is an enemy and who is not, so for that reason I will be taking artistic license to create a private school there with a small but elite group of students and faculty that holds a terrible secret. What secret you may ask? Well what fun would it be if I told you?

 **P.S.** Sorry this is a slightly shorter chapter then usual, the note took up most of the first page and I got tired near the end. Looks like I need a nap so I can catch up on some Z's. Neighbors have been screaming and or thumping on something at ungodly hours of the night again. I hate to do this but if it continues another night I have half a mind to call the police for disturbing the peace. How anyone else can sleep through the racket I'll never know...

* * *

 _~Chapter 16~_

 _What Makes Us Human_

* * *

Dan was honestly taken aback by her reply about _'buying more time to live.'_ From his prison even Dan could tell that this so-called _'Dani'_ wasn't entirely a ghost, she was also half human not unlike he was a long time ago and the Vlad and Danny of this timeline were. Wondering if perhaps she was the future daughter of his past self which seemed a more viable option then her being Vlad's, Dan asked-

 _So I was right, you ARE half ghost. That must be why I mistook you for him. Still, what do you mean by needing more time? Is there something wrong with your ghost half...? Or is it your frail human half?_

"As if I'd tell you," Dani replied stubbornly but there was an uncertainty in her voice that encouraged Dan to continue.

 _Well you should know then that a long time ago, I was also half human. I got over it though and if it's causing you trouble perhaps I could assist you in ridding yourself of it too,_ Dan was rewarded by a startled gasp beside him as Dani registered what he just said.

Grabbing the thermos, Dani exclaimed, "No way! You're a halfa too?!"

Rolling his eyes, Dani corrected, _Weren't you listening? I specifically said '_ was' _did I not? I'm not even remotely human anymore. I got rid of that...weakness of mine years ago._

A bit confused now, Dani set the thermos back down and asked, "Was? Does that mean you...died? Maybe that means if I d-die I'll just become a full ghost." Pondering this, she sat back down on the floor and said mostly to herself, "That might not be SO bad. Ghosts don't get hungry or cold. But if my ghost half is still unstable even while I'm in this form, who's to say I won't just melt into ectoplasmic goop even if I went full ghost...? Oh...I really hope Clockwork is right and Vlad's going to try and save me."

Snarling at the mere mention of Vlad's name Dan growled, _That sad excuse of a man couldn't save the life of a gold fish let alone a person. He didn't SAVE me, and he sure as hell won't save you. Who ARE you anyway? You've told me your name but how did you even become a halfa? And you mentioned having a father but who is he? You'd best tell me now before I lose my patience!_

Flinching away from the angry tone of his voice momentarily until she remembered he was trapped and couldn't hurt her, Dani sighed in relief and stood up again, staring tiredly at the offending thermos, "I can see now why you're no fun to talk to, it's because of that bad attitude. I bet Clockwork doesn't like to talk to you either unless he has to. I know I don't. This was a mistake-"

Realizing his error, Dan cleared his throat and begrudgingly apologized through his teeth, hating having to answer to anyone. _I suppose you're right, I was a bit short-tempered with you just now. But anyone who's been trapped as long as I have might find themselves rather irritable. Clearly, YOU'VE never been trapped in one of these blasted things. I can see now why my enemies detested it so much. It's awfully cramped in here. It won't happen again. Please...stay._

"No thanks, I'll pass. You blew your chance. Clockwork should be done with whatever he was working on by now and I need to see if he knows what Vlad is up to. He's supposed to be working on a cure for whatever is messing up my ghost half. It sounds to me though like you've also got a beef with Vlad though so...maybe you're not all THAT bad. Then again, maybe you are, I dunno," Dani shrugged. "Anyways, I think I'll give you some _'time'_ to cool your jets and maybe we can try talking again. I've never met another halfa before, then again I haven't been around that long. As for me, I'm ready for a nap. See you later. Or not since there's no way I'm letting you out of that thing if Danny is against it."

Sensing her presence fade away, Dan groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. _Well that went well. A shame that even now the very mention of that '_ fruitloop' _sets my teeth on edge._

Lowering his hand again, Dan calmly deduced what he did manage to squeeze out of that strange girl. One, her human half was dying. Two, she knew both Vlad and Danny. Three, this girl seemed to admire his past self and was unsure about Vlad, which made him wonder if she was going to him out of necessity or because he had changed in this timeline. Four, she was staying with Clockwork who would obviously know one way or another what Vlad was up to as she so eloquently put it. And lastly was the most important part, the fact that she was in fact a halfa...

Dan could use this information to his advantage if he played his cards right. The key was patience and not to get angry at the mention of his own previous _'father'_ or someone who attempted and failed to pose as one. Who knows, if this Vlad was anything like the jerk he knew before, now that they were both on the side of evil they could work together to take over this pitiful planet and ensure his continued existence outside of Clockwork's tower. Then once that was done he could rid them of that annoyance once and for all.

To be perfectly honest, Dan could really care less about repeating his original plan of destroying his old friends and family unless that was the only way to create a new timeline where he could continue his reign of terror. In fact some small part of him, even as a full ghost, missed Sam Manson especially. If he could help it then maybe killing her could be avoided this time around. After all, the pain of losing her along with his friend Tucker and entire family had been what set his creation into motion in the first place. And as much as Dan enjoyed inflicting pain on his enemies, feeling pain himself wasn't nearly as pleasant.

There were times when Dan was caught off guard when he dreamt of those carefree days back when he was a naive human with ghost powers. And sometimes he wondered, if Vlad had been on his side, couldn't he have saved them? His loved ones?

Slamming his fist into the side of the thermos, Dan hissed, _No, I am a ghost. I have no friends. I have no family. All I need is the power and freedom to take this world for my own. I don't need anything else._

"Is that really true I wonder?" Clockwork mused, appearing beside him and picking up the thermos, looking in the direction young Danielle took off to look for him which might take some time since he had gone back to square one. "It seems to me that you are in need of one thing, companionship. Everyone needs at least one person on their side, no matter what. And you might not know this yet but that girl has suffered through many of the same things you have. You would do well not to waste this chance as it might not come again. It all depends on the Vladimir of this world."

 _Pfft! Spare me your cryptic messages and double meanings Clockwork, they're wasted on me. I know exactly what I want and when I get out of here, you'll be the first to feel my wrath. You should have left well enough alone,_ Dan scoffed. _You certainly didn't have any qualms about standing on the sidelines the first time when my family died in that explosion and Vlad took me in. What makes you think you can make any difference this time?_

Smiling knowingly, Clockwork responded, "Because Daniel, this time, Vlad has something of his own he wishes to protect with all his heart. And he has been given the guidance he needs to avoid the same mistake he made with you..." closing his eyes, his tone grew somber and he continued sadly, "Erasing your humanity did nothing to ease the pain you were suffering at the time, it was merely replaced by your anger and frustration at not being powerful enough to save them before. That, my friend, is your obsession as a ghost. An impulse enhanced a hundred fold because it is the same fear as Vladimir's. He too desires the power to ensure that the things he holds most dear are not stolen from him. The reasons may differ but the heart of that obsession remains the same. Even love can turn you into something cruel, whether it is a love you are currently pursuing, or one that you lost..."


	17. From Shadow To Shadowmancy

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (01/25/2018):** Thanks for your encouragement "frozenightmare," and yeah it's true, the views I get do show that people are reading this. But I guess what I mean by discouraging is its mostly when I ask my readers for feedback or suggestions that I get nada even though I really want to get you guys involved. It's the same on the tumblr I made for this story, I get likes but no replies or comments when I ask people for their thoughts..I know they're not inclined to answer but, it's nice to get some kind of reaction to know they've even looked at the post or in this case the notes. Though, I suppose it's true that we're shy as readers because I do the same thing as far as reviewing stories so I'm one to talk. Depending on the story I do try to leave nice long ones since I in turn love getting those myself. Anyway, as a disclaimer, one scene from here is inspired by some fanart I saw of Vlad, Maddie, and Jack from their college days. There's not nearly enough of that imo. Whoever did the art I'm talking about, you rock! Also, I gave up on a nap so here, have two chapters on the house for today!

* * *

 _~Chapter 17~_

 _From Shadow To Shadowmancy_

* * *

Owen was surprised at the sheer amount of negative memories and feelings that had helped created this miasma. But everything had a light and a dark side so while he waded through these memories looking for the core of this darkness, Owen hoped his power helped Vlad's light side manifest itself too while the man faced his lesser demon. It was a risky move, exposing himself like that willingly, but it was for Vlad's own good and Owen firmly believed that even at his worse, Vlad would never step over the line and do something completely unforgivable. After all, he stopped seriously trying to kill Jack Fenton ages ago and even then while Vlad said that's what he wanted because he never seriously went through with it.

It would have been all too easy to kill Jack any number of ways, and Owen winced when he witnessed just how many ways Vlad had imagined it. There were a few quick and merciful ways to make it look like natural causes but obviously Vlad didn't like those options because they seemed to be letting the man off much too easily. Things like turning his heart intangible and pulling it out before Jack could blink, slipping poison into any number of the unhealthy foods he ate that was long gone before anyone in the house could touch it, placing a killing device directly into Jack's small brain, the list went on from freakishly creative to cruel and unusual deaths that while they didn't work in cartoons would have disasterous results in real life on a living person.

Through the visions Azrael showed him of the past in hopes of preparing Owen for the horrors he would face later in life, Owen was able to stomach some of the things Vlad envisioned doing as revenge against his former best friend. There were a few however that really shook Owen either because they were over the top even for Vlad or in the past HE has been killed that way by a ghost before.

That's right, while Owen couldn't remember all of his past lives he knew a few who had left this world prematurely. Thanks to his _'curse'_ of being reborn soon after his death, if and when Owen ever experienced being a ghost or more accurately a spirit it didn't last long and regardless of how he died he sort of entered a state of blissful blankness once his memories were sealed to prepare him for the next life. Still, once he was reborn Owen could access those memories eventually and yeah, he found out the hard way exactly how a few of his past lives died so he could avoid a similar fate...

One of Vlad's memories that caught his attention was the one about his accident. If any of these memories housed the dark core it was most likely this one. It was funny how since these were also effected by Vlad's feelings parts of the memory were blurred if he hadn't been paying that much attention to it. And honestly, more then the death scenes he envisioned for Jack, Owen was a bit creeped out by the way Danny's mom looked in Vlad's eyes. She sort of glowed from the inside and had a dreamy appearance like the filters they used in old TV shows and films to make the female stars look more attractive. He really must have idolized her, that's for sure...

Jack wasn't as blurred out in Vlad's older memories. Really, most of the time when he was blurred out was when Maddie was there. Owen couldn't help but smile despite the bittersweet feelings Vlad had towards these memories.

One memory showed the three of them playing D & D and Vlad was losing, badly, while Jack on the other hand by some miracle survived the deadly swamp and made it to the other side unscathed by a lucky roll of the dice. Vlad looked pretty upset since he was certain his plan to freeze the water with his magic and walk across would have worked flawlessly whereas Jack decided to cross the rickety troll bridge instead. In another one, the three of them were sitting on the edge of their seats at a drive in movie watching Dracula -oh the irony made Owen laugh- and when he came to kidnap the main heroine, Maddie squealed and clung to Jack while at the same time accidentally knocking Vlad's popcorn over. Of course Vlad blamed Jack for it and not Maddie since by the time he looked up Jack was making fists at the Vampire saying he'd beat it up with special gloves made of silver or some such nonsense.

There were a lot of memories like that one that fueled a lot of Vlad's resentment and rage but it wasn't until Owen got to the ones revolving the accident that Owen really felt how cold and cruel Vlad eventually became before they met. When Vlad got hit in the face with a full blast of contaminated ectoplasmic energy, his face broke out in hives and he barely managed to stagger out into the hallway before his vision began to blur as his eyes grew hot and a weak beam shot out of them. Alarmed, he shut his eyes and fell to his knees, covering his face. A mixture of emotions radiated from Vlad's younger self that made Owen wish he could comfort him somehow. He was scared to death of all these strange sensations, mortified that his lovely Maddie had to see such hideousness, and most of all, angry at Jack for not listening to them when both Maddie and himself urged him to wait a little longer before they tested the beta portal to make absolutely sure they'd worked out all the kinks. After all they didn't want to create another black hole on school grounds, it nearly got all three of them expelled!

His ears were still ringing too so whoever was shouting Vlad's name went unheard, especially when the opposite happened and it was like he could hear everything. Girls laughing at some stupid pick up line one of the guys made to them, the professors strictly teaching their lectures, the shuffle of feet as the bell rang and the evening classes let out for the day, and oddly enough, Vlad heard something else underneath it all, a sort of...moaning. Could that have been him moaning because he was in so much pain? Or was he hearing an echo of the ghosts on the other side of that portal groaning and lamenting their unfulfilled earthly desires. Either way, somehow he'd been moved to a hospital where the doctors and nurses tried and most often times failed to figure out what was wrong with this young man.

Owen sat close to Vlad's hospital bed, remembering when he held his hand in the ambulance and when he had that second panic attack and the doctor rushed back in. Now Owen understood why it was so easy for Vlad to put his 'evil' plots aside once he realized he'd pushed him too far and recalled exactly what it was like to feel scared and alone, forsaken...

After that Vlad's days of seemingly unending confusion and bitterness began. And just like Vlad told him before once his vision became unclouded as far as what actually happened, Jack and Maddie did try to visit him a few times. In his early hospital days though Vlad was suffering from a high fever and chills, though the latter was more of a shock that rippled up his spine when a ghost was near though he didn't figure this out til later. The other times, either Vlad himself turned them away or a doctor did. Mostly the doctors though who really should have listened when Maddie tried to explain that most of his symptoms were caused by the ectoplasmic energy that invaded his body and they were sure they could figure out how to help Vlad better then any normal doctor. Unfortunately that only offended the doctor and got them banned from the hospital altogether which didn't help when Vlad gradually got better and asked for them only to be told they weren't there anymore. That's when Vlad started to believe they abandoned him.

Years passed and when the doctor all but gave up on getting to the root of the problem their examines became almost routine and Vlad used his alone time to practice a few of his new found powers. Because yes, he discovered early on that these weren't just side effects of the accident, they were actual changes to his human anatomy. Thankfully he already had a degree in human biology so Vlad put that knowledge to good use along with what he knew about ghost anatomy though they had yet to see anything more then a lowly specter they caught at a haunted house in a very Ghost-Buster fashion, though that movie hadn't been made yet.

Owen watched all this with a sort of innocent fascination since this was a good way to really get to know Vlad as more then just the half-ghost he met over a month ago, he was also a man who had suffered all on his own and had no one to turn to for help or advice, forced to rely on himself. He knew the feeling, although for a little while at least Owen had Azrael until he blocked their connection. Vlad never had anyone like that. Not even friends anymore once he found out they were engaged soon after he left the hospital.

At first Vlad tried to put a positive spin on having ghost powers and designed what would be his _'hero'_ outfit though since it drew a lot of inspiration from Dracula more people were afraid of him then they were thankful. When it became all to clear everyone saw him as a monster, in anger and frustration he snarled that if they wanted a monster, they would have one. Vlad started off with a few harmless pranks, haunting a few of the fools who had teased him and Jack in college, some of them to the point of needing therapy afterwards, before he gave up on being good or even just naughty and started going for the bigger prize. Especially to make Jack and Maddie regret not staying friends with him.

Again Vlad started off small and subtle so he wouldn't get caught and they couldn't connect him to what was later dubbed _'The Wisconsin Ghost'_ much to his delight when his reputation as a fearful figure became widespread. Then once Vlad was confident in his powers and cunning he went for the bigger scores by overshadowing the right people and stealing from certain banks and blaming it on others to get ahead and or just not getting caught at all. Vlad barely even noticed when he stopped feeling guilty when these rich snobs lost everything in the blink of an eye. Most of them didn't deserve their success, not like Vlad did because when he acquired a business he didn't just bask in the existing wealth it brought with it, no, Vlad used his intelligence to increase those profits and products to make them a million times better then before. Vlad involved himself in the entire process, never settling for anything less then perfection unlike the previous owners who would only work the kinks out later not unlike a certain ghost hunter he knew.

Vlad did make note of how his ghost half had changed over the years, keeping record of the when and how of it for future reference. For one thing, his hair darkened to black not long after he stopped playing hero or harmless prankster, once his skin had healed Vlad didn't want to be reminded of how hideous he looked as a human so it changed to blue, then lastly, his eyes faded from misty blue, to pink, and finally to red because when Vlad thought of Jack red was all he could see...

And that's how Vlad went from a broken college student to the successful half-ghost billionaire he was today. Once Owen reached the end of his early memories, Vlad's life slipped into a boring routine where most of his plotting against Jack Fenton began. Owen already knew all of that, since those feelings were fresher, so he sighed and wondered about how the real Vlad outside and his two reflections were doing when he froze. He didn't freeze because of a feeling or anything he could think of really, but Owen simply couldn't move!

"What's-! I can't move! Vlad, what are you doing out there?" Owen wondered, trying to exert his power now to wake up even though he hadn't found the core of the miasma yet.

That's when a hallow laugh reached his ears and a pair of arms snaked their way around his shoulders. And as the memory Vlad stood in his lab trying to convince Jack's son to join his side instead played out, Owen stood there, frozen, as one of the shadow's hands came to rest over his eyes and they breathed in his ear, "I FoUNd yOU..."

Gritting his teeth, Owen growled, "I knew it. I knew there had to be something else hiding under all of that miasma. So, just how long have you been leeching off of Vlad?"

"LEecHinG? You INsuLt mE, I Am mERelY enJOying ThE fRUitS oF My lAboR," the shadow replied. "I CaMe tO hIM, BeCAme His ShADOw, AlL sO thAT YoU WoulD ComE seeKiNg mE willINglY WhEn tHe MiaSMa tHicKENeD. NoW I wilL beCOMe youR ShaDoW, So ThaT I maY BrinG YoU tO My MiSTreSS..."


	18. I Am You, But Are You Me?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (02/02/2018):** Sorry for the delay, been suffering from writers block. But I did come up with a possible Danny Phantom crossover I might try writing in the future. I was in a Fatal Frame mood so I started to draw something with crimson butterflies and bandages fading into film reels, but when the guy I was drawing looked like a slightly older Danny -as in him being like 16 or so- I posted the drawing on my Deviantart account. I even made a poll asking you readers to vote on your favorite idea for a possible plot! I won't be writing that for awhile, if at all if there's no response or I just don't have the time but still, feel free to visit my main profile here and cast your vote! And with that, onward with the story! Oh! Don't forget to leave a review if you like what I came up with too for this chapter, or one letting me know if you didn't and how I can improve or fix it...

* * *

 _~Chapter 18~_

 _I Am You, But Are You Me?_

 _(Chapter inspired by In The End by Linkin Park)_

* * *

When the real Vlad fell silent, completely taken aback by what his past self was saying, he almost didn't notice when the shadow version of himself currently manifesting itself in Owen went rigid all of sudden. When the younger Vlad noticed this though, his eyes widened and he warned, " _There, look! Something's happening..."_

"Well it's about time," Following his gaze Vlad frowned as he approached Owen, ignoring his college self altogether as he reprimanded the boy. "You should have told me what you were planning beforehand. If you had taken any longer I had half a mind to-"

"Vlad, get out of here-! Now!" Owen suddenly choked out, still unable to move but at least he managed to expel the shadow from his body and return from that vision.

As for the shadow itself, which was slowing taking form behind him, it was furious when it didn't manage to get what it came for and take full control of Owen's shadow which unlike Vlad's wasn't one of the heart, but a different part himself. The bad news was that it had already successfully taken part of another shadow hostage and was fully prepared to use it against the necromancer child...

And that shadow, was Vlad's.

Taking notice of the shadow being now forming behind Owen as the oily reddish-black vapor from earlier gathered together like it should have the first time, Vlad scowled and transformed into his ghost form, intent on doing away with it and putting an end to this nonsense. But only after resisting the sudden urge he felt to obey his urgent request due to the literal power of Owen's voice compelling him to leave the room. That's when Vlad finally noticed what form the shadow was taking and watched with a sort of morbid fascination.

Only once before had this shadow version of Vlad physically appeared, a dark entity fueled only by pure rage on the verge of becoming a wraith. Which yes, considering the nature of these living shadows that were basically only physical manifestations of the evil residing in their host and not actual creatures born through any _'natural'_ means, it seemed like an apt phrase to use from now on. Vlad wasn't aware of it himself when this happened mind you but it happened when both Daniel and his female clone destroyed his prized clone that the true spark of his unrestrained malice began to form in the pit of his heart. A deep raw loathing for both the original and the little failure that it even overshadowed his hatred of Jack Fenton, if only for a moment.

And quite literally it had only been there for an instant but his ghost form had turned solid black just like this being before them now. A shadow as black as the void marking the death of a star in the heavens. The only distinguishable feature was its solid red eyes that mirrored his own and fangs. Was this the core of the miasma? If so, why was Owen telling him to flee? Didn't he want Vlad to face his darkness? Or had something gone wrong and this wasn't just any shadow of his past feelings after all...?

"Owen Ravenwood what is the meaning of this!" Vlad demanded in a irritated yet worried tone, quickly grabbing Owen the moment the feathers disintegrated and the blue flames went out with an audible whoosh to get him well away from whatever this thing was.

Still a bit disoriented from pushing the parasitic entity out of his body -which had now resumed its normal necromancer form that glowed an ethereal blue- Owen shook his head, allowing himself a hallow laugh. "Looks like I was right, that thing isn't the core of the miasma after all. We've been had, Vlad. It's actually a-!"

With a warped version of his own voice the shadow launched itself at them, aiming for the real Vlad's ghost core with a gnarled hand. Meanwhile the young phantom of Vlad's college self began to flicker out of existence.

Shoving the real Vlad aside with all his might Owen took the brunt of the attack, crashing into the nearest table. Knocking over test tubes and other such things which clattered to the floor. Instead of reaching for Owen's core as he intended to with the real Vlad, the shadow one suddenly clamped his hands around Owen's throat and laughed wickedly as the child writhed beneath him, struggling to escape his vice-like grip.

" _You didn't honestly think you stood a chance against me, did you? You're just a child. A child who has gotten in way over his pathetic little head. That being said, shall I go ahead and '_ finish the job' _as you advised I do the day we met?_ " His fingers then began gripped his windpipe tighter until all Owen could see were stars and a blackness edged into his vision. If he didn't know any better, it would have almost looked like Nocturne's starry form was dancing before his waking eyes.

The real Vlad of course recovered quickly and shot a blast of ectoenergy at the shadow, throwing it off of Owen. Coughing, Owen tried to pull himself up off the floor but sagged back down again a few seconds later. Lucky for him his powers did the same thing that they had in Nocturne's Keep when he punched the glass with his bare fists, converting his flesh into necroenergy if only for a moment to prevent his bones from breaking. It would seem that the same principle applied to other area's of his body if too much pressure was applied to his skin at least when a ghost or wraith was involved and it wasn't too instantaneous of an attack. That's the only thing that kept the shadow Vlad from snapping his neck, right then and there...

Smirking at his intended target, the shadow Vlad laughed evilly when the real one grunted as if he'd been struck at the same time. How could that be? He never saw anything! Unless-

"Owen, close your eyes! Computer, enhance the lighting by 100%!" Vlad shouted, covering his own eyes with his cloak.

"Enhancing lights," the computer replied promptly to his command then all of the lights in the room hummed softly as the entire laboratory became unbearably bright.

In response, the shadow Vlad shrieked in pain and quickly fled into the nearest shadow, dispersing its form again. Though the only place with any shadows at the moment was unfortunately the staircase leading back upstairs to the rest of the castle.

This time, the real Vlad felt no pain so this shadow being was somehow still connected to him but it could only hurt him through their connection if he dealt physical blows, which unfortunately his ectoenergy counted as. The light however, hurt this creature and that was how they were going to have to destroy it. Either that or Vlad would have to help Owen do it himself which he would rather not.

Pausing only long enough to make sure Owen was alright, Vlad narrowed his gaze then took off after the shadow. Vlad tried warping to the top of the stairs in hopes of cutting it off, but it was too dark to see anything else since rerouting most of the power to his laboratory had turned off everything else in the mansion that wasn't essential.

After scanning the narrow staircase but finding nothing Vlad snarled, his eyes glowing red while his fist left a small crater in the wall next to him. "Butter Brickle! OF COURSE we just had to be fighting some sort of wraith-like-shadow-being at NIGHT of all times. I'll never find where it ran off to with the castle like this!"

This realization didn't stop him however and Vlad sent out several duplicates to turn on every possible light in the castle that was still functioning. Knowing this would take awhile, Vlad was about to go back down to the laboratory when a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention and he whirled around, ready to attack it only to find himself face to face with his college self again who was carrying a barely conscious Owen up the stairs who was still rubbing his sore throat.

With a slightly annoyed groan, Vlad was about to instruct his past self as he would any other duplicate when something in his eyes stopped him. "Why are you looking at me like that? Take Owen and get him out of here while I finish this! I will not STAND being tricked like this in my own home and letting that...THING get away with hurting my son." Vlad snapped, not wanting to tarry here any longer while his enemy was still somewhere nearby.

" _Why do you think I'm still here? Whatever that thing is, it's not us. I can feel it. It feels too much like that demonic signature we've been trying to train ourselves to sense. That shadow, it's been here for awhile now, sustaining itself with your negativity. But it didn't reach it's pique until you felt a greater hate then what you felt towards our former best friend. Unless you destroy the root of that anger, you won't destroy this shadow. It knows all of the best hiding places here. And it knows how to disperse itself so that none of our devices can detect it, not even the new ones. The boy isn't safe here especially now that its finally taken physical form."_

"Don't tell me that like I don't already know!" Vlad snapped, all of his anger and frustration coming out in force. "I swear, having to confront all these...WEAK human feelings is more trouble than it's worth! And having this whole angel on one shoulder and devil on another whispering in my ear is getting old! I've tried to tell Daniel this over a thousand times too. The world is NEVER so black and white. Now, are you going to do something useful or are you going to keep attempting to be my guiding angel? Because if not, then I'm not afraid to put an end to you after all for being such a pest. I hate the very sight of you after all this time. He was right about one thing, I've tried SO MANY TIMES to bury you, to bury the past yet always it comes back in one way or another to stripe away whatever happiness I've managed to hold onto. I thought I had already proven myself to be a better man and now you're telling me all this? That I still have unfinished business? My god! Why is it that no matter how hard I try someone or something ALWAYS gets in the way? First Jack, and now this Lilith and her stupid underlings are trying to take the first good thing to come into my life in years! Her AND most of the blasted ghosts in the entire Ghost Zone! Just how is Owen any better off with me then he was at that blasted orphanage if I cannot even expunge my own shadow?!"

" _Vladimir Abram Masters!"_ his college self shouted, his white hair bursting into flame instead and his eyes glowing a solid but steady arctic blue. " _You listen to me and listen well, though we may share memories and feelings the only one who is real in all of this is YOU. I am what you could have been just as much as that shadow is. In fact, do you know why I'm still here? Why HE is still here? The answer is simple. You have not let go of us. We're not the ones holding you back, that is all your doing. In fact I wonder if the reason that the most evil ghost ever to exist still does...is because you're the one who might throw away everything to escape the pain. Not Owen. Not Daniel. But you. So the question becomes who are you? Vlad Masters? Vlad Plasmius? Or are you a father who would do most anything to protect his child...?"_


	19. Light Our Way In Darkness

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (02/04/2018):** Thank you for your review _"frozenightmare!"_ I'm glad you like this whole good vs evil side of Vlad thing going on. Also, do you guys like the middle name I gave Vlad? I thought it'd be fun to add one since we all know that when a parent says your full name you know you're in some SERIOUS trouble! And since I like symbolic names, "Abram" means _"exalted father"_ or _"high father"_ in Hebrew which I thought was appropriate because of the whole father and son theme of the story.

* * *

 _~Chapter 19~_

 _Light Our Way In Darkness_

 _(Chapter inspired by Who Are You by SVRCINA)_

* * *

 _"We all have our demons. When we finally learn to let them go, we get to live and be free."_ **~ Jodie Sweetin**

* * *

Even though Vlad's college self looked as such, he was actually a mixture of all the _'good'_ things about the half-ghost standing before them that was given form thanks to Owen's spell. The phantom didn't even fully realize it himself, but HE was the light Vlad would need to join forces with to defeat this lesser-wraith. Although in truth, perhaps this shadow was more like a spell as well. Only a dark one. A spell that was designed to either latch onto Owen and force his body into submission through a shared pain to bring him to Lilith, or use Vlad's pain the same way as blackmail against the child by threatening to end the human side of the man's life...

But there was something else too. His words, Owen had this nagging feeling there was a double meaning to them. Specifically the part about the _'most evil ghost'_ because from the sound of it he wasn't referring to Vlad. When this other version of Vlad helped him up the stairs, asking if he was alright and supporting his shoulders Owen could feel it. Although they weren't physically there Owen felt as if there was another Vlad reaching out to them through his good side from somewhere far away beyond space and time. Owen didn't understand what this feeling was but as long as this one helped his Vlad realize what he needed to do Owen didn't really care.

This was all for his sake. And while it would help Owen too to get rid of this malice once and for all so he would finally feel at home here with Vlad, for once Owen wanted to help Vlad in some deep and lasting way. He was just some fifteen year of teenager without a penny to his name -if you didn't count his inheritance of the Ravenheart estate and all the relics hidden there- so to the richest man on earth there was nothing of material Owen could possibly give him to express how much he cared and wanted nothing more then to stand beside him from now on...

After recovering enough to speak even though his voice sounded weak and cracked a few times, Owen looked at his Vlad that was still seething with anger then said, "Vlad. Just...would you calm down and think for a second...?" He coughed again, earning a slight flinch as Vlad's guilt kicked in for letting him get hurt in the first place by his shadow. But before Vlad could interrupt him, Owen swallowed painfully and rasped, "Wraiths aren't hurt by any normal light -not usually anyway- so that shadow is just that; A shadow. Turning on all of the lights will only make it keep retreating from shadow to shadow until it can reform itself and attack us again. We have to corner it. But I...I can't help you this time Vlad. I knew that the moment I cast this spell. I really want to but this is something you need to do before we lose our chance to get rid of it while it's absorbed all of the miasma in the castle and has it condensed in one place and I can't keep this other side of you together anymore to help you do it. Since you're the one who has been producing the miasma it was feeding off of, your anger is only going to make it stronger now that it's connected to you. So Vlad, you have to fight without the same rage you've used up until now. Trust in what is, not what was in your heart. Please-!"

Before he could finish his thoughts Owen's voice cracked and much to his dismay his throat closed up on him just enough to make it impossible to speak. He tried to force the words out again but it hurt too much and brought tears to his eyes, tears of pain and frustration...

There was so much more Owen wanted to tell him! To explain! But his stupid body wasn't cooperating! His brows knit in anger until finally, to his relief Vlad finally listened to reason and decided that acting the part of a worried father came before any further actions to rid themselves of this damnable shadow self.

Regarding his college self indifferently, who nodded and stepped back to let the real one look Owen over, Vlad told Owen to remove his hand to inspect the damage to his throat. Since the boy was still in his necromancer form Vlad had to push down his collar as gently as he could not to irritate the wound yet when he saw the damage his own shadow had done, his temper flared once more.

Though upon seeing the ashamed look on Owen's face Vlad quickly let it fade and focused his thoughts to deal with this professionally. Still, there were angry red marks and bruised skin in the outline of two hands around Owen's neck which was starting to swell, making it hard for Owen to talk anymore then he already had. This would need to be treated right away to avoid any permanent damage to his vocal cords and throat in general.

With a sigh, Vlad looked around the study which was now lit since the computer automatically deduced that the enhanced lighting was no longer needed when Vlad didn't respond. That was both good and bad news because now who knows how many rooms were still unlit, allowing the shadow to hide in his home to recover its strength. And since his duplicates hadn't returned it could only mean they hadn't found the shadow either.

"Don't try to talk anymore," Vlad ordered sternly, lifting the collar of his battle-suit so it fell back into place and covered the blaring wounds. "I'll recall my duplicates and send someone else to search the castle for this shadow while we treat this. Because as you said, it has already settled into a form and isn't likely to abandon it now if I'm so...tasty." He glowered at the idea of his power being used by anyone else, emotional or otherwise but he shook his head and then continued, "However, while I would advise against speaking, you owe me an explanation that's much better then the sad little one you tried to give me just now. We went over the spell you _'supposedly'_ used and it said nothing about splitting my essence into these two forms. So either you lied to me or-"

Owen shook his head, immediately regretting the sudden movement that hurt his neck and opened his mouth to speak only for his breath to hitch and prevent any sound at all from coming out. And this only deepened Vlad's frown. That's when the other Vlad who had remained silent until now decided to speak up.

" _If I may, since I am also a result of this 'spell' perhaps I can deduce what his intentions were,"_ glancing at Owen who gave him a small appreciative smile, the college Vlad -whose appearance had changed drastically since it had first appeared and now had a head of gentle white flames, normal ecto-acne-free human skin, and glowing arctic blue eyes that shone from within like a neon light and unlike the current Vlad actually still had pupils- stepped forward and crossed his arms, tapping his chin thoughtfully much like he used to back in the day. " _From what I've gathered the boy was intent on gathering this miasma into himself so his internal necroenergy could purify it so as to avoid you having to fight an physical manifestation of it yourself, especially once he discovered what it really was. Yes, the miasma was a factor in all of this but in truth, it has no core. Indeed some memories are more powerful then others but they are not the source, they are merely fuel to something that was set loose with the intention of trapping the boy one way or another once he had awakened and could sense the miasma this strongly in the first place. Translation, this shadow being was also create by a spell. Or rather a curse. If I had to put a name to it then this is clearly the work of Shadowmancy since in many cultures the shadow is merely another extension of yourself, your soul, not unlike those duplicates you create. Do you see now?"_

 _'Oh this is wonderful, now I'm taking advice from myself, but I can't deny his logic is sound,'_ Vlad thought with a bit of annoyance before accepting this explanation and pointing out. "So you're saying that despite how long this miasma has been produced by my darker emotions, it never fully reached the point of creating a fully fledged wraith?And this shadow is holding a piece of my soul hostage because it can't fully capture it? Yet the connection is strong enough to cause me pain?"

" _Precisely!"_ the younger Vlad smirked. _"And where there is darkness, so too must there be a light to counteract it. That is what I am. That is why Owen chose this method instead of the one he agreed to before despite not knowing then that there was indeed something else hiding beneath the dark haze, lying in wait to strike. You should be proud that Owen had the foresight to use this precaution seeing as his theory proved to be correct and there was more to this miasma then originally thought."_ His expression fell slightly though when he added, " _Like any spell or energy use there is a price though. While your feelings can empower me as well, it is only Owen's spell that maintains my form while that shadow though it fears the light has its own energy source now that it's absorbed the miasma. Not to mention your negativity and pain empowers it as well. Owen has given you my light as a weapon, at the cost of weakening his own power to sustain it. I suggest you use it wisely and allow me to help you take down this shadow. Much like those Dungeon and Dragons games we used to play with Jack and Maddie, I will be your blade, but you must be the hand that wields it."_

"Alright alright, I get the picture," Vlad said, waving his hand dismissively and changing back into his human form. "At any rate we need to take care of this injury. Come Owen, I'll take you to my private infirmary."

Just then, his duplicates returned and Vlad groaned a little after reabsorbing all of their memories at once from their search of the castle. As expected they saw nothing, but then again it was only through Owen's power that Vlad had seen the miasma the previous two times. If the shadow had indeed separated itself over a wide area there was no way they would be able to find it now, especially at night. But if it was wounded as well then with any luck there wouldn't be another attack tonight. Either way, it would seem that Owen was going to have to spend the night with him in the master bedroom AGAIN not unlike the other time they had an unexpected visitor. Still, what to do with this _'other Vlad'_ then?

Seeing the troubled expression flit across the older hybrid's face, the college Vlad who had slowly started taking on a more modern appearance sighed, " _If you're concerned about me, don't be. I'm not exactly real so to speak. I am a part of you as well as a part of young Owen's spell so I need neither sleep nor sustenance apart from the positive energy that you and the boy provide. So I can either return to him for the time being or-"_

"If you are asking to overshadow me I'd rather you didn't," the real Vlad scowled, still not entirely happy being around this unwelcome reminder of how differently his life could have turned out, not only mentally, but physically as well. Seeing this other self with his flaming hair, arctic blue eyes, and perfectly normal skin that only served to remind him of the horribly disfigured face that had long gazed back at him through the mirror each day until the idiot human doctors FINALLY figured out a way to treat his ecto-acne though to this day, Vlad was always concerned that it might flare up again and has since studied his half-ghost biology extensively, as well as Daniels when he began working on the boy's clone.

Speaking of which, now there was yet another regret he hadn't the slightest desire to face here to fuel this thrice damned guilt Vlad kept feeling. He thought this miasma business would be simple enough to finish in one night so he could continue working on a cure for the clone-child's instability. Well now they had to deal with this fine mess that would only serve to steal away his concentration yet again!

But then again, recently Vlad has been studying Owen's unique biology as a necromancer and since his energy stabilized her at least briefly, perhaps giving the young man some ghostly treatments might kill too birds with one stone. He actually smiled at the thought. Perhaps some good could come of this after all. Still, Vlad had a feeling he wasn't going to get much sleep tonight anyway so he might as well do something productive.

The next question was, which underling could Vlad trust to keep a look out for this shadow self without discovering the truth and using it against him? Honestly, only two came to mind, Skulker, and the Fright Knight. But who to choose...? On the one hand Skulker was a skilled hunter and was experienced in hunting all sorts of unique and bizarre ghosts, but could he hunt wraiths or shadow creatures? On the other, the Fright Knight was the spirit of Halloween and he could sense fear and negativity which served as an energy source for him. That made Vlad realized that perhaps he could classify the Fright Knight as a wraith-class ghost from now on since they shared some similar traits.

So yes, in the end Vlad decided he would be better off entrusting this task to the Fright Knight simply because he KNEW that ghost would never dream of betraying him since he played a key part in defeating his former master the Ghost King just as much if not more so then Daniel had been. That, and the Fright Knight had far more experience with the shadows of the heart then Skulker and quite honestly was much older then him. Just not to the point of classifying the ghostly knight as an Ancient-class ghost like Nocturne was...

All of that would have to wait when Vlad was reminded of the injured boy beside him who kept suppressing his coughs since they hurt so much. Putting aside his other thoughts for now the real Vlad grabbed the boys arm along with the arm of his other self and promptly teleported them to the infirmary, not wanting to waste any more time. The other Vlad was unaffected for the most part but flickered when Owen felt a wave of lightheadedness from lack of oxygen and sudden vertigo. Still, the cold sensation that came with the teleportation soothed his throat a little so Owen didn't mind I so much. But even so, he only really heard half of what both Vlad's said to each other since his thoughts were split between maintaining the spell keeping the other Vlad from fading away back to Vlad's subconscious, trying not to pass out, and his thoughts drifting to the pain in his neck as well as the fact that unlike the first time he met the real Vlad, this shadow one had ACTUALLY tried to kill him. If nothing else, Owen was relieved to know that his faith in Vlad was well founded. And the man had never been as evil as everyone believed, including Danny and a certain other ghost who unbeknownst to them all was sensing a change in himself...

A change he didn't like one bit.


	20. Butterfly Effect

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (02/07/2018):** Before you ask, no I did not name this chapter to reference that Fatal Frame crossover I _might_ write. I started naming this chapter "Echo" when I realize I already had another chapter called that back in "The Grimoire." In fact a lot of my other stories have chapters that usually end up with similar names. Whoops! Heh, at least I caught myself before it happened again this time. Also, just an fyi, the stuff in bold font is stuff Owen has written down since Vlad's not letting him talk anymore at the moment. Now without further ado, enjoy the latest chapter!

* * *

 _~Chapter 20~_

 _Butterfly Effect_

* * *

As expected, Clockwork said his peace and then promptly left Dan alone with his thoughts. And to the evil ghost's dismay that was quite literally the ONLY thing he could do to occupy himself, think. Recalling the young girl Dani's words, Dan berated himself for making such an obvious mistake when he failed to recall how the girl called his younger self her _'cousin,'_ not father. So that meant she wasn't some future child of his which was a relief to be perfectly honest. The screams of human children just didn't have the same ring as it did from adults, and some part of him often found himself scowling at the sight of a sobbing child for no particular reason when he attacked a different hapless little town like Amity Park. That annoyed him to no end.

At any rate, Dan was also convinced that due to how often she spoke of being _'unstable'_ it was either because she was a human who had been forced into a similar accident that gave him and Vlad their powers or...that idiot older halfa actually had the GALL of cloning him after all. That was the only logical explanation. Especially since he REFUSED to believe the crazy halfa managed to win Maddie Fenton over and have a child. Besides, this child's ectoplasmic signature didn't feel even remotely like Vlad's. It felt so much more like his own...which is what caught his attention in the first place.

Now the girl's skepticism when she spoke of the elder halfa made sense. She viewed him as her _'father_ ' simply because Vlad was her creator and had most likely imprinted the idea into her tiny brain to ensure that the child would feel loyalty only to him. From the sound of it however, at least Dani knew better now and was a lot more wary of other ghosts as a result. Specifically ones that reminded her of that man, which is why young Dani sounded so fearful when Dan spoke to her in a similar fashion.

Dan scowled at the thought. As much as he relished being evil, there were times that he despised just how much of Vlad's personality and mannerisms he'd _'inherited'_ when their ghosts halves merged. It had taken him years to completely dominate the _'Vlad'_ side of him so that he could happily say that he was far superior in every way to that pathetic excuse of a man. But on the other hand, some old habits never changed...

There were many times Dan considered finally just killing the stupid old man who was the cause of so much misery and many headaches, yet for whatever reason, he could just never be bothered to do it in his timeline because Vlad wasn't even a worthy challenger anymore. Vlad might as well have been a corpse already because of how broken he was over not only failing to _'save'_ him from becoming this. On top of that Vlad also realizing just how much of a scum bag he really was back when he DID have powers and how the acceptance he'd always sought was already within his grasp in the form of his college buddy who never once doubted the man.

If only because that pathetic eye sore wasn't even remotely a threat to Dan he left the brittle old human alone for the most part. Although Dan did amuse himself a few times in the later years of his creation by hacking into the former billionaire's system to speak to the man personally and cordially thank him for making him the most powerful ghost in both worlds. And Dan did this if only to watch the color drain from the man's face watch gleefully as the small flicker of hope behind his already dead eyes when he realized Dan was only toying with him...died.

At least Valerie remained ever the defiant one and made for excellent sport. Dan had to admit she managed to get the upper hand on him a few times, but much like when they were young it was mostly just sheer luck and not skill on her part. Well, not at first anyway. She did manage to make something of herself eventually, verging on even becoming a genuinely competent ghost hunter and kept that sad little town intact and out of his reach. Even so the huntress failed to realize that it was ONLY through Dan's graciousness that she hadn't died horribly ten times over.

Whenever Dan managed to knock the human huntress out cold he enjoyed seeing what new toys she had in her arsenal then shorting them out before leaving Valerie there to regain consciousness and realize she had failed yet again to defeat him. Really, it would have been all too easy to just kill the thorn in his side that was the Red Huntress, but total world domination is just SO boring without a worthy adversary. And perhaps that is exactly why the previously half-ghost fruitloop from his childhood would never bring himself to hold true to his own death threats of killing him too. The elder halfa wanted a challenger, though sadly in the end, he taught his young rival a bit TOO well and it let to his ultimate defeat.

Lately, Dan found himself thinking about the memories he'd absorbed from the elder halfa more and more often and quickly noticed that somehow the _'feelings'_ towards them were changing. He didn't like it. It was as if the Vlad from his timeline was trying to give him a guilt trip somehow by silently imploring him to see that there was still some humanity left from HIS human side. But time and time again Dan rejected it, he refused to accept that human weakness back into his heart. Dan didn't have a heart, he crushed it years ago and no amount of pleading was going to make it start beating again...

While Dan adamantly tried to deny that he could actually relate to some of this half-ghost girl's plight of not knowing who to trust, Dan did. He claimed to have no feelings but then, weren't anger and hate emotions too, though negative ones? Dan claimed to know himself so well but for some reason he was beginning to feel a change in himself that he wasn't consciously making. So what in the world was going on? Why were these damned feelings resurfacing now!? If this was somehow Clockwork or that brat's doing he'd-

As Dan was angrily pondering this, he blinked in surprise when he felt a strange sort of tug pull on his ghost half and his vision blurred until it settled on an image of none other then the current Vlad. If he had had any control Dan would have blinked in surprise seeing this unwelcome blast from the past. Yet, the alarm in the man's eyes intrigued him. Since when was Vlad Masters one to show his emotions so openly? Let alone those of fear?

It quickly became obvious that he was looking through the eyes of another so whomever Vlad was looking at, they were the cause of his distress. _Well, this is much more entertaining then staring at nothing,_ Dan grinned, listening and watching this fascinating scene unfold.

For now the _'why'_ or _'how'_ of it didn't matter to him, Dan just wanted to see how this whole thing played out. That, and Dan was interested to find that he could actually FEEL what the man in front of him was feeling, recall his bitter memories, and he could sense his thoughts...more or less. What an odd sensation.

Hearing a warped version of Vlad's voice come out of the mouth of whoever this person was, Dan strained to hear what was going on since he also kept hearing the muttered phrases of things Vlad must have said sometime in the past that were whispering in the background. But Dan did smirk a little when he heard the voice mock, "... _there's the real Vlad we all know, the bald-faced liar! The worse lies you tell though are clearly to yourself though. You don't believe that even for a second. Which is precisely why you tried so hard to get Daniel to join your side. It was not only to protect the naive boy from the truth that his own parents would likely have disowned him or worse if they discovered his secret, but to claim the son that should have rightfully been yours_. _After all, why should that pathetic human man be blessed with a half-ghost son when you were already half ghost BECAUSE of the same man? He doomed his own son to suffering through the same half-life we did! Who knows what will become of us now. Will our human bodies wither and die with age like the rest of the human race? Or will we be cursed to wander the Earth as living corpses? Do you know? And what about Owen, will he remain with you that long or will he abandon you the moment his parents souls have been freed? Now that we have the perfect son, no one is going to take him away from us. Surely you feel the same? Now that you have him, aren't you afraid he'll realize what a monster you are and run away again...?_ "

 _Who in blazes is Owen? Another pet project?_ Dan thought darkly, actually feeling Vlad's heart clench in fury and uncertainty at this _'shadows'_ cruel words. _Whoever that boy is, he's obviously important to the fruitloop and his parents are likely-_ Brushing aside his own flash of unwanted emotion at the mention of lost parents, Dan tried to keep listening and watching what was happening. But after that one phrase stuck out, everything became too muddled together as the combination of feelings, memories, sights, and sounds became too chaotic for even Dan to keep track of. Therefore, with a huff all Dan could do was wait for this strange experience to pass...

Eventually his patience was rewarded and his vision faded back to normal which unfortunately meant he was staring at blank walls again within the Fenton Thermos. Still, that was certainly unexpected to say the least. What was Clockwork playing at this time showing him something like that? Had he dozed off without realizing it and saw some sort of vision thanks to the time ghost? Somehow Dan doubted it since Clockwork never cared to show Dan anything before but rather play his little word games with their double meanings.

No, Dan had a strong feeling this Owen boy was to blame somehow for this though he wasn't entirely sure how but the other presence he felt in that room was very powerful and it was coming from the one who was overshadowed by, well, that shadow being that was unmistakably connected to Vlad. And besides, if Dan remembered anything about his former archenemy it was that he never settled for just bringing anyone into his life. They had to be worth the trouble and worthy to stand beside him.

When Vlad Masters had wanted something, he took it, and anyone who stood in his way did not live to regret it. Back then though, in Dan's distant past, what the man wanted more then anything was to obtain the perfect half-ghost son. Before the older hybrid's college crush died in the accident Dan knew Vlad desperately wanted Maddie Fenton to join his side as well. For Vlad to have given up on THAT to get his hands on this boy in this new timeline surely meant this young boy had to be something special indeed. And if Dan was going to have any chance of forcing or convincing his own still-evil _'father'_ to help him exist permanently in this world...then the boy was the key to doing just that.

* * *

It was understandable that Owen was feeling tense because not only was Vlad upset with him right now, but he also felt like crap AND was struggling to maintain the spell holding the other Vlad's form together. Speaking of which, the other Vlad had taken on the role of the real one's assistant while the older hybrid treated Owen's throat.

And all the while Owen kept silently berating himself for letting this get so out of hand. He had been so sure that this would work and really hoped that he was wrong about the other presence he felt hiding in the miasma. If Owen had to guess that demoness probably cast some sort of Shadowmancy spell before confronting Vlad that day so that should she fail to capture Owen, this shadow would be waiting for just the right time to catch them off guard. Either that, or someone else had cast that spell while the two of them were in Salem and set this new trap for him. Owen shuttered at the thought. Well, that and because of the ice pack he was holding to his swollen throat.

His troubled gaze soon fell to the older man on the opposite side of the room while Vlad prepared a few shots and some clean bandages. No one can safely say they like shots -unless they were a weirdo that enjoys feeling pain- and Owen certainly wasn't looking forward to them. Which shouldn't be all that surprising since a few were glowing for some reason, but he trusted Vlad and tried not to worry about it too much. That and Owen literally couldn't even voice his concerns anyway since Vlad would send him a death glare every time he tried to utter a single word. In fact, as soon as they teleported into the infirmary Vlad abruptly handed him a notepad to write on and instructed him to write down his _'proper'_ explanation there while he got everything ready.

With a painful sigh Owen did just that, annoyed that he couldn't hold the pad still with his other hand that was currently holding the ice pack in place. Honestly it felt sort of pointless since Vlad's other self, the one his own spell created, pretty much explained it all already. Looking over at the other self in question, Owen was amazed by how much his appearance had changed the longer he manifested using his power to sort of...crystallize Vlad's true feelings. Sometimes even Owen found himself in awe of the things he could do with words alone.

He saw how slowly the other Vlad changed from his troubled college student version to a confident paranormal expert whose ghost-half form was almost nothing like the current Vlad's. In fact, maybe that's another reason Owen was feeling so tense, because his father-to-be didn't like being compared to this alternate version of himself at all and kept shooting this other self pointed glares when it stated something that was painfully true. It Vlad feel like and almost wonder if the shadow version was right, maybe he was a monster and embraced this darker side of himself much too easily back then. Because that was the easiest path to take rather then face the pain and deep sense of loss.

Owen shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do when the real Vlad finally came over and silently took the notepad from him to read. Vlad's frown only deepened when he saw that what the boy wrote was hardly any different from what the other Vlad had deduced. But at least it cleared up a few things, such as Owen having studied this spell before on his own and therefore not needing to go back to those pages to confirm it. The sly little fox, maybe Vlad was teaching the boy a little too well to plan ahead for things like this...

After silently cursing the fact yet again that he didn't know the first thing about practicing the arcane arts, the real Vlad sighed and handed the notepad back. Then he scolded, "I still wish you would have told me. Then we could have avoided this mess altogether young man. But now, thanks to your unnecessary risk, we're stuck at an impasse. From what you wrote, if this _'light'_ side of yours that you created for me loses his form then it will make taking down this shadow without harming myself much more difficult, correct?"

Owen nodded slowly, his gaze turning back to the two glowing syringes on the counter. Sensing the boy's discomfort, Vlad's light-side smiled softly and explained, " _There's nothing to be afraid of my boy. Think of these as ghostly antibiotics to help your body heal faster. After all, like the young hybrid and my other self here, you too count as a sort of half-ghost from what I understand. Your blood already rejects and purifies any negativity in your system so it stands to reason it won't reject anything we give to you that will actually be beneficial to your health. Your Vlad has used these two serums before on on himself as well so trust me, they're perfectly safe."_

Glaring at his other self, the real Vlad grumbled, "I was just about to tell him that myself."

Raising a brow, his light-side smirked, " _Oh? But I thought you just did. I am a part of you after all, so surely that counts as '_ you' _telling him. Honestly, and here I thought I was the one who as insecure as our college self I first appeared as and not the other way around. Even so..."_ he sighed, giving the real Vlad a meaningful look, " _You're only making this harder on yourself by rejecting me too Vladimir. Owen created me based on all of those feelings you've kept buried in your heart that even now that you've welcomed him into it, you can't help but see me as an unwelcome reminder of everything you wanted to forget. Hasn't sunk in yet that I am essentially the exact same thing as his own Ancestral Memories, only in a tangible form? I am a physical manifestation of your desire for love, your sincere feelings of regret, your guilt, and your joy, but most of all...I am a mirror designed to show you a possibility that never came to be back then because of the choices you have made in the past. But with Owen's help, I'm sure that what you see before you can become a reality. Only if you choose to change though."_ He chuckled and then with a sly smirk he added, _"And quite honestly, if you're so worried about keeping our dashing good looks I wouldn't worry. Your physical appearance has very little to do with your feelings but rather is simply a result of how your body adapted to our ghost DNA. After all, we ARE the first half-ghost to exist created by an unstable ghost portal so it makes sense that our ghost half in in fact more ghost-like then Daniel's. Besides, nowadays both human and ghost women alike can't help but faun over a handsome vampire ghost. Which is very much unlike back when we first got our powers and they feared the very sight of us. "_

Tapping the real Vlad's shoulder before he could reply, he saw that Owen had wrote: **"** **I really wish I could laugh right now because you should have just seen the look on your face. It was priceless. And ironically very true. A lot of girls are into vampires and bad boys for some reason which even I think is weird."**

Rolling his eyes and hiding the slight blush on his cheeks with a cough, Vlad replied, "Yes well, that's one way to put it. Now if you two don't mind I'd like to continue so I can contact one of my allies to keep watch over the castle tonight and make sure that shadow doesn't try to attack us in our sleep. Speaking of which, Owen? Just how much energy is it going to take to...maintain this fellow?" He asked, nodding towards the other Vlad.

Frowning that Vlad wasn't amused by the playful joke they made just now about vampires to break the tension, Owen put the ice pack down and started writing again. When he finished Owen held it up and they read: **"I don't know, but what I do know is that maintaining him like this in a physical form is really wearing me out. It'd be a lot easier if you would just accept him as a part of you more then as me and let him take refuge inside your heart for awhile. That way he can protect you from the shadow's influence directly and I can focus the rest of my energy on trying to get better. After all if we get a surprise visit from the social worker, it'll all be over if she thinks you tried to strangle me..."**

Picking up one of the syringes while he gathered his thoughts and tried not to look too terribly worried despite knowing perfectly well that Owen could already tell, the real Vlad smiled tiredly and finally said, "Very well. If that will help put your mind at ease then I'll allow it. On one condition. This light-side you've created for me, his existence doesn't mean you've left yourself wide open to possession in exchange, does it? Tell me the truth."

Grimacing, Owen bit his lip, then finally gave in and after a minute or two show them what he wrote: **"No, it shouldn't anyway. It's more like I'm extending the same protection I have from being possessed by dark entities to you. It's sort of like how I can heal ghostly wounds just as easily as I can use my powers can harm or repel ghosts too. I just have to change the intention behind what I want to use my powers for. Like if I need to use them to defend myself, to protect someone, to hurt my attacker, or to heal an ally. So yeah I'll admit that my immunity to possession might be weaker then usual, but as long as you don't reject his presence since he's sort of a part of me too and he's made of my necroenergy then everything should be fine. Vlad, please, I'm asking you to trust me on this. I know I didn't tell you the truth about what I was planning to do but, I was worried you'd have the same reaction you are having right now if I was right about there being something else hidden behind the miasma that has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me. Like I said, I can't risk stopping this spell to counteract that shadow until this is all over. And its really up to you how quickly that happens. I don't think I'll be able to create something like this again without doing exactly that, putting myself at risk because this light-side of you is only as strong as my conviction to help you face up to the things you've done in the past and what you're afraid the future holds for us. And I don't want to risk turning you into what I turned Azrael into because he was obsessed with protecting me. I can't. Because unlike him, you're still alive. And you have so much more left to live for..."**


	21. The Masters' Heir

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (02/08/2018):** I've said this before I'll say it again, I'm sick of getting sick at work. Sorry if it's tmi but I unexpectedly threw up at work and now my stomach s being all queasy so I can't even sleep it off. So I might as well finish up this chapter I started right after posting the last one...

* * *

 _~Chapter 21~_

 _The Masters' Heir_

 _(Chapter inspired by Frontline by Pillar)_

* * *

Vlad's eyes widened in shock when Owen's words finally sunk in. The boy was...asking to protect HIM? Him, Vlad Masters? Better known as Vlad Plasmius in the ghost world, and the Wisconsin Ghost in this one? The man who had exposed him to his enemies, nearly gotten him killed more then once, failed to stop Owen from being kidnapped multiple times, Owen was putting himself in harms way and doing all of this just to-

" _Yes, that is exactly what the boy is doing,"_ the other Vlad smiled knowingly, sensing the distress of his other self. " _You would do well to remember the path that you yourself have chosen which is to take this young man under your wing to shelter as well as teach him the things his human parents never could have. Don't you see? Fate has given you a second chance. This boy IS that chance. A chance to find unconditional love meant only for you, and in turn give him the protection and security that only a man as powerful as yourself can provide."_

Owen nodded in agreement, wincing a little when it jostled his irritated skin which brought both Vlad's back to reality. They were only delaying the inevitable and truth be told while Vlad WAS sure this treatment was safe, especially since the second serum was specifically created with Owen's necromancer form in mind there was a lot they didn't know still about the boy's biology except for the new information he'd just given Vlad back down in the laboratory. And that was that his body when 'infected' as it were it would isolate the source of the the corruption and slowly convert it into purified necroenergy. It was fascinating really. Owen's blood itself repelled hostile ghosts from entering his body but if somehow they got past that and did manage to get inside then instead of wasting energy to attack that energy it would instead convert it into it's own, essentially absorbing it.

It was exactly as Skulker described when he first mentioned Azrael. About how these necromancers could not only control ghosts but if they had no other choice or were perhaps from an evil clan then they could capture a ghost and absorb their energy to fuel their power. Almost like how these wraiths absorbed negativity because they themselves could not self-generate their powers unlike ghosts and necromancers while witches have to borrow the existing power around them through nature or upon death from the raw ectoenergy in the Ghost Zone.

"Vlad?" Owen dared to ask though his voice was hardly louder then a whisper.

Shaking his head and scowling, Vlad began searching for a vein on his left arm to administer the first injection and growled, "No talking remember?"

In response Owen sighed until he suddenly remembered something about earlier and thought it would be a good idea to tell Vlad right away. Raising an eyebrow, Vlad turned his attention to the hasty scribbling Owen was doing before the teen held the pad up and pointed to what he had written: **"Wait, there's something I forgot to tell you. Something new happened when I was in the Ghost Zone and it happened again when that shadow attacked me and it might make this a little more complicated. I hope I'm wrong but just go ahead and try to give me the first shot. If it doesn't work I'll have to try forcing my body not to react the same way."**

"We don't have time for your riddles my boy," Vlad replied with a kinder though still irritated tone. "I told you, or rather HE told you this serum is completely harmless. If you're concerned about side effects I can assure you I'll take note of them so I can improve the mixture later to avoid them. Now hold still."

With an annoyed snort through his nose, Owen set down the notepad and glared at the floor thinking _'Fine, but don't say I didn't try to warn you...'_

Of all of his accomplishments both before and after becoming a half-ghost Vlad was grateful for his many degrees in various fields including of course clinical care which unbeknownst to Daniel, Vlad's original intention for going to college was to become a doctor before he became fascinated by ghosts the the philosophy behind there being a flip side to their whole world filled with strange beings the likes of which no human had ever seen. Though most of his passion for the field was born through his friendship to Maddie more so then Jack Fenton. Still, even his mundane human knowledge on human anatomy and biology served Vlad well whether he was half-ghost or not since he grew to dislike normal doctors in general if only because of how poorly they had treated him both emotionally and medically since his condition was anything BUT normal.

Putting those thoughts aside, Vlad finally located the vein he was searching for and promptly began cleaning the area with an alcohol swab. He didn't even have to pull up Owen's sleeve and simply made it intangible, the sight was really bizarre and Owen could only roll his eyes at Vlad being such a show off even when treating his injury in a very unconventional way.

But Owen was right, they needed to make sure this healed tonight or at the earliest tomorrow morning in case the social worker showed up because saying Owen had a cold would only work so many times before they started to suspect malnourishment or worse that was causing so many health problems -including stress related ones- in the short time Owen has been staying with the billionaire. Even though it's only been a month Owen has suffered heaven knows how many near-fatal injuries yet Vlad could only feel grateful now that the boy had accelerated healing too now just like himself and Daniel. Although Vlad was still determined to try and avoid Owen receiving any more injuries altogether, he knew better then to expect that to happen over night. Especially when between the two of them, they had some very old and new enemies to worry about...

Putting those thoughts aside for now Vlad began applying pressure to Owen's skin to give him the shot. However, Vlad's eyes widened when the needle suddenly curled upwards when the patch of skin he'd tried to penetrate briefly turned into that same necroenergy as his whole arm did whenever the boy transformed. If not for what Owen wrote on his notepad Vlad would have scowled and thought he did that on purpose to make things more difficult for him to prove a point.

Still, Vlad did give him a look when Owen smirked knowingly and without saying anything as Vlad pulled the needle away, he shrugged as if to say _'I told you so.'_

"Ah, I see what you were trying to tell me now," Vlad began nonchalantly, putting aside all his frustration to analyze the situation professionally. "Well I shouldn't be surprised that your body is reacting this way, after all you were attacked by a very hostile being so I would assume a form of necromantic adrenaline is flowing through your veins as we speak. Unlike myself that shadow-being has no self-restraint and no humanity, meaning it had every intention to do you harm. After all, while Lilith probably would prefer you alive, all she cares about is capturing that unique soul of yours. And thanks to you I know now that despite that shadow talking on my form, it is not a true reflection of who I am let alone who I was. Not entirely at any rate. It has a piece of me held hostage yes, but the rest is simply the opposite of what the other form you created of me is. So much for my argument about shades of gray when we're quite literally attempting to fight a being of darkness with a being of light. Still, what to do now..." he wondered, staring intently at the bent needle before turning to the cabinet to switch it out.

Hearing more scribbling behind him Vlad froze when it stopped abruptly and both of their ghost senses went off. In response, the light-side of Vlad moved closer to the boy as they tried to pinpoint the source of the ghostly signature.

A moment later, those three vulture ghosts suddenly made a very unexpected appearance, their feathers all ruffled and more then a few were missing. Vlad scowled at this and was about to demand what they were doing when one of them finally screeched in an angry tone of his own, forgetting for a moment just WHO he was raising his voice to.

"Vhat gives Plasmius? I know ve haven't been on ze best terms lately but that is no reason to attack us! There ve vere, minding our own business vhen WHAM! You start shooting at us and spouting nonsense about us being a worthless as common Earth fowl! There vas no need to insult us like zhat, ve know ve're old and forgetful but zhat has never stopped us from doing our job before," straightening his singed red fezze, the vulture continued his rant. "Ve're too old for zhis! The boyz and I agree zhat it's probably about time ve retire to zhe Ghost Zone if all ve are going to be used for anymore is target practice! Zhat is, unless you care to explain vhat ve did to set you off zhis time..."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Vlad explained in a very no-nonsense tone, "Are you buzzard's blind as well as senile? THAT was clearly not me. Didn't you find it odd how I was suddenly all black? Like a living shadow? Well, there's your answer. That thing IS a living shadow that's decided to pretend it's me and I am currently working on a way to exterminate the blasted parasite that's unfortunately been hiding in the dark corners of my home for who knows how long as a trap set for the boy here. Though I'll admit, I should have expected something like this when it finally took a physical form and warned the castle's staff, namely the ghostly kind such as yourselves. For that you have my apologies. I'm afraid I was too busy treating Owen's injury to send word of the danger. Needless to say you now know that I was not the person who struck you three down. Now that you've brought it to my attention that is has reformed a lot more quickly then I expected I will be sure to send someone to take care of it. In fact, I have a job for you right now related to this incident if you think you're up for making a quick trip to the Ghost Zone as I'm sure you may want to anyway since the natural ectoenergy there will help you recover more quickly too. Then we can solve both our problems at once."

The three vultures looked at each other before the eldest of the three crossed his wings and smirked with a I-knew-all-along glint in his solid red eyes, "See? I told you he vasn't acting like himself. Ve may not be good for much, but zhe Boss here vouldn't just attack us without a good reason to be angry vith us for a job ve botched up. Anyvay, sure, vhat do you need us to do?"

"Vhat?! How can you forgive him so easily?" the third vulture blinked in surprise.

With a sigh, the leader of the trio responded, "Vell, as much as ve tend to fail spectacularly at even ze simplest jobs ze Boss here still keeps us around since ve don't have anyvhere else to go. Sure, ve could go back to ze Ghost Zone but vhat then? If ve do absolutely nothing with ourselves you know vhat vill happen? Eventually, even ve vill turn to ectoplasmic dust. Because a ghost vithout purpose or drive might as vell not exist..."

Vlad was shocked by the ghost vulture's bold declaration as much as his two companions but quickly shook it off and after briefly glancing back at where his light-side had been moments before, only invisible now, Vlad cleared his throat and returned their attention back to him as he instructed, "Thank you for understanding. Now then, what I need you to do is first is tell me exactly where you last saw this shadow-being parading around as me. After that, spread the word to any of my other ghosts lurking around the castle at the moment of the danger this shadow poses but that they are by no means to confront it themselves under ANY circumstances. And thirdly, think you three can manage a trip to the Fright Knight's lair?" They nodded uncertainly and then Vlad continued with a knowing smirk, "Once you arrive, tell him Vlad Plasmius has a very special job for him. One that will require his Soul Shredder. He'll understand what that means and I will give him further instruction. And if that does not wet his appetite perhaps this will-"

Motioning for one of them to come closer, Vlad whispered something in the elder vulture's ear that made their eyes widen in realization and glance over to stare at a certain young man sitting on the bench behind Vlad in awe and perhaps even with a hint of fear. Still, they feared Vlad's wrath more from when he WAS genuinely angry with them if they refused after deciding against quitting altogether and they promptly saluted the elder halfa before phasing back the way they came.

Once they were gone Vlad's other self reappeared just as the real one pressed a button on the wall to enable the ghost shield in this room which he had also forgotten to do sooner. Then Vlad's light-side asked what Owen was wondering too, "What did you tell them just now?"

With a wicked smile not unlike those he used to wear so often, Vlad put a finger to his lips and winked, "Now now, I'm still allowed to keep a few trade secrets to myself. Still, knowing the Fright Knight, his loyalty to me is second only to his loyalty to one other. Meaning that if he values his alliance with someone as powerful as myself and that alone does not convince him to drop everything and come here quickly, as if the devil was at his heels, then perhaps knowing that my new and only _'heir'_ is also someone of great importance in the Ghost Zone, he will be willing to lay down his afterlife to ensure that no harm befalls him tonight. I only hope my theory proves correct considering who he once served before, and how many ghosts have started to become aware of just what a valuable rarity Owen is in both worlds..."


	22. Breathless

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (02/11/2018):** Sorry this took so long, I've been sick and working on other things. But don't worry, we'll be getting back into some action soon! Hopefully by the next chapter. This one is mostly about giving Vlad that final push to accept the good side of himself as a part of him. Also, the notifications have been acting kind of weird lately and I'm not sure if it's just me. If it is it's probably just with that other story I messed up by deleting a chapter by accident instead of replacing the Doc with a new one. Anyways enjoy the chapter and again, it would make my day to see a review for it in my inbox! Hint hint nudge nudge!

* * *

 _~Chapter 22~_

 _Breathless_

* * *

It took a few tries but eventually Vlad managed to give Owen the shots he needed and the effects on the boy were almost immediate. The swelling went down to almost nothing as did the redness and bruised skin which already looked as if the injury was a few days old and mostly gone. However, an unfortunate side effect of those ghostly injections was that Owen felt very cold. He felt so cold after the second injection in fact that Owen nearly blacked out from the numbing chill now concentrated on his throat, making it hard to breathe when it kept constantly coming out as his ghost sense...

With his unexpected reaction in mind Vlad did his best to help him warm up but in the end it wasn't until he instructed Owen to change forms and try to self-generate more heat through his body that the shivering finally subsided. Some of the coldness returned as soon as Owen changed back though. But at least it was more bearable this time. However, it was troubling to say the least that Owen was hyper sensitive even to ghostly remedies, meaning Vlad would have to study the matter further and delude it enough to reduce the side effects next time.

Still, after the treatment Owen was for lack of a better word almost dead on his feet now. And it showed when Vlad's light-side started to flicker again, nearly vanishing altogether. After those three buzzards unexpected visit Vlad had almost forgotten that he agreed to lift some of Owen's burden by allowing this other self inside of him so it'd be easier for him to maintain the spell even while he was asleep. While Vlad wasn't as against the idea as he was earlier, at least once he fully understood exactly what this being was, he felt...relieved to say the least but still a bit hesitant to allow this other being inside of him willingly.

Like that shadow it was not a direct reflection of himself, it was a being made out of his own feelings and memories and it wasn't there to point fingers and tell him he was a failure or not _'good'_ enough. If anything, this being embodied all of Owen's faith in him too and that was a very...interesting thought. After all, since when has anyone actively tried to make him happy without an ulterior motive? Since when have they fought so hard to protect someone who often thought he was more powerful then anyone because of his cunning and power? It was moments like this, when Owen was willingly suffering through such physical and emotional pain that Vlad for the first time in his life realized how deeply he was being loved. Because of Owen's presence in his life Vlad was now wholly and completely for who AND what he was. Yet, how could accept that love knowing that someone else had ultieor motives in giving him the boy after all but murdering his parents by staying silent about their impending doom...?

"Owen..." Vlad urged gently, putting those dark thoughts out of his mind after they unexpectedly resurfaced upon seeing the boy struggle to keep his eyes open. "I know you're tired but we're almost done here, I just need to put the bandages around your neck. Would you mind taking off your turtleneck though? I'm rather tired myself and would rather not waste any more energy keeping your shirt intangible just to be a show off." He smirked, having seen how Owen rolled his eyes before when he told him not to worry about rolling up his sleeve earlier and just made it intangible and invisible.

Not having the energy to protest, Owen did as he was told and started pulling up his shirt, though not with out a bit of a struggle. When it was about midway Vlad of course noticed the infamous scar on Owen's stomach, one that he knew about but had rarely seen with his own eyes. There were a few smaller scars littered across his skin but this one served as a painful reminder of everything Owen lost because of what and who HE is whose incredible power was not born through an accident like Vlad's was, but of a purposeful design. All this time, there was such a child already born into the world with this kind of potential, yet who suffered because of a path that he too did not originally chose for himself.

It seemed like an eternity ago when Vlad first saw Owen curled up on the floor screaming in agony, clutching the old wound. An eternity since he saw the unimaginable fear in the boy's eyes that was not only directed at him, but at the memory of a similar darkness pushing him beyond his limits to prove that he was in fact the one they were searching for. And even now it did not escape Vlad's notice that Owen would often hug or at least rest a hand over the same spot when he was extremely stressed. It was like the pain he felt, reminded Owen of his sin of existing in the first place and he unconsciously wondered if fighting to survive was even worth it anymore. At least, before Vlad made him feel hopeful again, wanted, and he didn't have to be as scared of the man suddenly dying on him too or worse, dealing the fatal blow like his parents tried to...

The man could only imagine the horror of having one's own parent attack them when you believed they loved you unconditionally. In Owen's case, his parents were possessed by wraiths at the time so their feelings were not even remotely a factor in what happened. Vlad honestly wondered how Daniel coped with his parents attacking his ghostly alter-ego on almost a DAILY basis with promises of pain and dissection since they had every intention of wasting the ghost boy without realizing Danny Phantom was in fact also their youngest child, Danny _'Fenton.'_ Honestly, these people were about as clueless about that as most of the people who actually lived in this state who knew the Wisconsin ghost was also called Vlad Plasmius on occasion. A ghost that once publicly seen at Vlad _'Masters'_ 20 year college reunion.

It was a similar yet different scenario because Owen's parents did not willingly attack their child and to this day probably weren't even aware that they were dead or had done anything so horrific against their will. Because if Vlad and Owen understood anything about these wraiths now, it was that when they extract the negativity from their host to add to their power or create a new wraith, the soul's emotions would go numb, as if they were unable to feel much of anything anymore, like they were a blank slate. True, their memories remained, but the feelings behind them would lose their luster...their attachment towards the place or person they were of which allowed these creatures to control them as they please with their own dark feelings.

As for Daniel's parents, they were not possessed and were unknowingly attacking their child of their own free while foolishly believing that all ghosts are either evil or are incapable of higher functions such as thought and actually feeling true emotions. How ironic that they thought ghosts were just like wraiths, inhuman and unfeeling creatures of darkness. Vlad knew better for more reasons then one...

For one thing, Vlad and Danny were both half ghost and if anything, certain feelings of theirs were enhanced because of a ghost's nature to feel a strong attachment or obsession over something. All ghosts felt this because they had yet to find the will or the inner peace to let it all go and move on to whatever real paradise awaited the souls of the ghosts who were once human. Even Vlad wasn't entirely sure what fate awaited the _'naturally'_ born ghosts in the Ghost Zone. Were destined destined to fade back into raw ectoplasmic energy if they lost their _'will'_ to keep going? Would they simply vanish without a trace? Somehow Vlad doubted that was the case, especially because of the simple fact that a ghosts obsession gave them plenty of drive to continue existing so the prior theory was counter intuitive.

Most ghosts by nature were driven by a sort of survival instinct ironically given the fact they are quite dead. They are also highly territorial. And lastly even they followed some sort of a natural order or hierarchy where the weak followed the strong and the strong were compelled to maintain and often pursue total dominance over the others and claim their territory by any means necessary.

At their roots, all ghosts were like this to some degree. So why then, did Owen have such a powerful...allure to other ghosts without those things? Part of Owen was a ghost, a very powerful one. Just not in the stereotypical way of being dead himself. But rather a dead person brought back to life as someone new, but Owen had no ghostly obsession save to prevent others from suffering on his behalf. And he only exerted his dominance over other ghosts when the situation demanded it but was otherwise uninterested in ruling over them, which baffled Vlad. Owen was so powerful yet something constantly held back. Was it fear of the power itself? Or fear of-

His train of thought was interrupted when Owen fell against him and Vlad barely had enough time to drop the bandages in his hand to catch the teen before Owen leaned so far forward he that nearly slid off the bench. Once again, Vlad let himself get too distracted! Just what was wrong with him lately!? How could he keep forgetting that his future son was badly injured? And what's more, those side effects caused by the ghostly serums he gave the boy were far stronger then he anticipated which surely must've worn him out.

His alarm only deepened now that Owen was shirtless because his skin was like ice! Vlad was certain that the after effects would have worn off by now, which is the only reason why-!

" _Vladimir, we can't wait any longer!"_ His light-side told him just as urgently, tightly gripping his arms while fighting to remain intact. " _You are not the only one who let himself get distracted. I was attempting to sense the location of our shadow and failed to notice that Owen's body is reacting too strongly to the ghost serums we gave him because the boy is still too busy unconsciously maintaining the spell fueling my form. Unfortunately, the boy is still too inexperienced to control a spell as advanced as this one for very long so he's expending too much energy, weakening his resilience to anything ghost related. It's now or never, Vladimir. You have to let me become one with you, at least for now. That way you should in theory be able to harness my power which is in truth mostly consists of Owen's purifying powers-!Gah!"_ Falling to one knee when for a split second he actually shined brighter instead of dimmer, Vlad's other self implored, " _He's giving too much of his power to me, please, stop him! The boy doesn't know what he's doing to himself, that he's pushing himself too hard and-!"_

"Then what in the BLAZES are you waiting for?!" Vlad roared, sounding enraged yet fearful at the same time as Owen began shivering violently again to the point that the man was afraid he was having a seizure. Turning his attention to Owen who by some miracle was still barely conscious he ordered, "Owen, you have to change into your necromancer form. Your human body can't handle the ghostly chill you are feeling and you seemed to feel better once you self-generated more heat energy so hurry, change back! Do it now!"

" _Do it now!"_ At the last second, Vlad's light-side didn't hesitate to shoot forward and merge himself with the original Vlad. And since their emotions were as one, their voices too rang out at the same time. Owen barely heard anything either Vlad had said but the moment they merged, since Owen had given Vlad's other form too much of his power, that also included his dominance over ghosts. So in response to that _'order,'_ Owen's spirit immediately complied and he changed forms subconsciously.

The first few times Owen changed, there were no rings of light like there was whenever Vlad or Danny changed into their ghost forms but rather a ripple of flame that would burn away his human attire like a flash fire. But this time, to Vlad's surprise there actually was a pair of rings that ran up and down the length of Owen's body that was made of his usual blue flames.

When Vlad felt it pass through him due to their close proximity it reminded him of the time Owen set them both ablaze with these flames to purify him so they could enter the Ravenheart Mansion. It was comforting, alluring even, which suddenly made it clear that his theory was correct! Ghosts, and even half-ghosts like himself were naturally attracted to Owen's power like moths to a flame, seeking it either for comfort or for their selfish need for more power. Owen's flames, like his blood, could be used to either harm or empower ghosts. Though the latter was mostly a deterrent to defend against ghosts invading his body but like most everything about Owen's powers and physiology worked together to accomplish one or the other, like how Owen changed the nature of the Blood Blossoms surrounding the mansion by simply purifying them with his necroenergy and rendering them harmless yet still able to repel any ghost or wraith with ill intentions.

Vlad sighed in relief when Owen's shivering stopped abruptly and he blearily opened his eyes, dazed because he had no idea what had happened to him. He remembered taking off his shirt, and then Vlad sort of zoned out there for a bit, they both did. It felt like all of a sudden he was being pulled in two directions, leaving him feeling cold and exposed. That's when Owen wondered if maybe he was right. Maybe he didn't study that spell carefully enough and didn't know how to regulate the steady flow of energy Owen was using to keep the other Vlad from vanishing.

Then again, that didn't explain why Owen felt so bitterly cold. Sure that ghost stuff made him cold but that feeling passed when he changed forms. But when he changed back to his human self thinking everything was fine that unnatural chill returned ten fold. Either way, in the end, maybe they just didn't understand his power and his biology as well as they thought...

 _What happened?_ Owen asked himself, slowly pushing himself upright again.

"You nearly passed out my boy," Vlad responded, his brows creased in worry and also frustration that Owen was speaking again without permission.

Owen's eyes widened in shock when Vlad responded to his unspoken question. But he didn't say anything! Not out loud anyway. To test his theory, Owen thought, _You really are such a worry wart..._

Again, not realizing Owen's lips weren't moving Vlad rolled his eyes, "Well when you collapse like that what do you expect to do, hmm? Shrug it off and not worry about your well-being? What sort of father would I be if I ignored something like that?"

Smiling for some reason, Owen met his gaze and put a finger to his lips before thinking, _It's about time you accepted him. I was wondering if you were going to chicken out and force me to end the spell after all. Good to see something good came out of...whatever just happened. Well one thing's for sure, until you fix those ghost serums I am NEVER letting you give me a shot with that stuff in it ever again. The side effects are much worse then the actual illness._

Vlad blinked, about to respond when he thought better of it and pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking, _I suppose the return of his boyish antics means he's alright now. But my god that scared me. I thought for sure that-_

Suddenly cutting of the man's thoughts, Owen smirked and pointed out, _Hey there V-dad. Sorry to interrupt your train of thought but it looks like it worked, my spell I mean. All you had to do was accept the other you, which is also a part of me. It might only be for now but...we're connected, Vlad. Connected in a way I've only felt once before and...wow. I've felt your powers before when I was still sort of afraid of you but now its- did I really change you so much?_


	23. A Knight To Remember

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (02/12/2018):** So you have wished it, so shall it be! Thanks for your review and Happy Birthday "frozenightmare!" Also, just to clear something up yes Vlad now accidentally possesses the majority of Owen's ghost dominating powers -if only because Owen quite literally spread himself too thin because he wanted so badly to help Vlad- but! It's only temporary. So is the telepathy thing. And in a way it's also a test for Vlad to see how much he really HAS changed. You'll see why in this chapter. Then finally, omg I am so excited to bring in the Fright Knight to this story! I mean Skulker is an interesting underling of Vlad's but the Fright Knight just feels...I dunno more worthy to be under such a refined villain as Vlad. Well, not that Vlad is much of a villain anymore although he is willing to bend and break some of the truth and the rules still, especially when the man thinks it's for Owen's own good.

* * *

 _~Chapter 23~_

 _A Knight To Remember_

* * *

"There, finally!" Vlad glowered after finally fastening the bandages around his neck in place and informing Owen he could change back if he wanted to. "I thought we would never get this done with all those...inconveniences. But this new development solved one problem at least. However I do NOT want you straining your vocal cords until that wound has healed hopefully by tomorrow, got it? Or better yet later today..." he added upon checking his watch to see that it was already one in the morning.

 _No argument here, this is much easier then writing anyway and my throat still feels like I swallowed a glass of liquid nitrogen. Still, Vlad I uh...really don't want to change back right now. My human side keeps getting too cold and I don't want to start shaking like a leaf again the moment I change back. I feel more comfortable like this at least for now,_ Owen admitted, rubbing his arms because it was like, beneath the surface he could still feel that coldness and it was only kept at bay by radiating heat from his necromancer form. Looking straight into Vlad's eyes, he stepped off of the bench and thought. _Oh, and Vlad? Like I said I'm really sorry for not telling you the truth. I let my feelings get the better of me because I wanted so badly to do something for you for a change that I guess it clouded everything else. So much so that I didn't even think that spell might be too complex and cause a problem. And now I'm paying the price for being such an idiot. Again..._

Softening his gaze upon seeing how dejected he looked, Vlad pulled Owen into a hug and reassured him, "You're not an idiot dear boy. Quite the contrary. You were very insightful. Planning your next move ahead of time to avoid further complications is the best thing you can do, especially when you're about to attempt something potentially dangerous. It never hurts to have a back up plan though. I just, I was not expecting what happened since we went over it together. I suppose you're a more talented liar then I thought! At any rate, in response to your earlier question..." smiling, Vlad ruffled his glowing hair and shrugged, "Yes you've changed me more then I care to admit, however, I have no intention of completely changing who I am even for you my boy. Life simply wouldn't be as amusing anymore if I wasn't allowed to make a few worthy adversaries now and again and feel the satisfaction of outwitting and overpowering them."

 _You really are like a cat sometimes you know that? Toying with your prey instead of killing it and getting it over with,_ Owen snickered. _As long as you don't leave any ghostly presents in my room after you've taken down a dangerous ghost we're good._

"Owen! Don't even joke about that!" Vlad exclaimed in disgust.

Owen flinched, feeling his heart throb sharply and then he meekly replied, _Ok..._

Troubled by his sudden compliance Vlad held him at arm's length, searching the boy's glowing eyes for something indecipherable. Perhaps even fear because of his raised tone. But Owen just looked tired so it was likely that his little quips were merely a cover up so he didn't have to focus on his discomfort.

After dropping his arms with a sigh and placing them behind his back, Vlad closed his eyes momentarily and decided it was best to get Owen settled in for the night and then await the Fright Knight's arrival. At least with him being the older more experienced one here he could endure a little fatigue. Although to be perfectly honest he no longer felt tired, but rather extremely energized now which only troubled him because Vlad knew it was at the cost of weakening Owen, though indirectly since the boy was unaware that he had done so.

Either way Vlad was reluctant to leave Owen alone in his condition to the point of wondering if he should formally introduce him to the ghostly knight. What was the harm? Of all his minions the Fright Knight was not only his most loyal but the most powerful as well which is why he usually reserved his services for the top priority jobs that even Skulker couldn't handle. After all, it takes a certain mindset to deal with some of the older spirits who were often protecting whatever artifact Vlad was after at any given time. And yes while Skulker's advanced technology had its advantages it is essentially like debating about the age old argument of who would win in a fight, a caveman, or an astronaut?

As if sensing what he was thinking through their link, Owen asked with his thoughts, _So...this Fright Knight guy, who is he exactly? The name sounds so familiar._

"Does it now?" Vlad smirked, glancing down at him. "I suppose there's only one way to find out if he happens to be another old acquaintance of yours. I was planning on letting you rest while he and I make short work of this shadow-being, however, it might be more prudent to introduce you to him. After all if my theory proves correct about where his loyalty lies then I will be assigning him as your...ghostly bodyguard so to speak. He may have a fascination with causing havoc and feeding off the energy of human fear but strangely enough, aside from doing just that around Halloween time the Fright Knight knows how to pick his battles carefully and prefers to work under a more powerful ghost that he respects. And he respects me. So in turn, he will either respect my wishes and guard you like his afterlife depends on it, or he will instinctively respect YOUR power the moment he senses it. We will just have to see which one wins out."

 _Suuure, sounds like a great plan,_ Owen thought skeptically. A little more playfully though Owen added, _Vlad, you do realize most of the ghosts I've met lately are insane right? Now you're planning on willingly introducing me to one? And yes I am talking about you crazy half ghosts too. No, actually if you were any type of crazy it would be like a freaking fox!_

"I'd rather be a sly fox then a mangy cat," Vlad retorted with a half-hearted frown.

Now crossing his arms Owen argued, _I'd reconsider that if I were you, after all, in many cultures cats are considered guardians of the underworld or the netherworld or whatever you want to call it. That's why to most witches especially they made great familiars and companions. Heck even I had a cat growing up. Foxes were more often seen as tricksters and troublemakers..._ Owen blinked when he realized what he just said/thought and snickered, _Nevermind, guess you got me on that one. They're both pretty troublesome creatures. But like you they're really elegant and smart. So yeah, I stand by what I said. You are very much like a cat._

"Alright alright settle down my boy," Vlad finally stated, cutting Owen off before they could get any more distracted. "Those three should be back by now so it should be safe to venture out since the shadow was last seen on the opposite side of the castle. But just in case, stay close to me."

Realizing their time was up, Owen nodded and silently let the man escort him out of the infirmary with a gentle push on the small of his back. He regreted how complicated things had gotten but was determined to see it through. And if Vlad trusted this guy, he would at least try to keep an open mind. After all, not all ghosts are evil, even if they work for Vlad. No, especially if they worked for Vlad because even he drew the line when it came to certain things and would not stand for it, Owen had seen that first hand. Besides, those three vultures seemed to respect him almost as much as they feared the guy so maybe this wouldn't be too bad. When compared to facing wraiths...how scary could some ghost knight be?

Well, Owen was about to find out whether he liked it or not.

* * *

"He acts as though I am foolish enough to leave my sword unattended without due cause," the Fright Knight thought quietly as he awaited the arrival of his liege lord to open the portal from his side in the human world.

He had to admit, his Master's summons surprised him. It had been far too long since the mighty Plasmius had need of his services. For him to need them now meant this task was of the utmost importance...

And then there was the human child. Although there was no need to convince the Fright Knight to ride to his Master's side at once, the three vultures panicked when he demanded that they get to the point when they insisted upon beating around the bush when they began telling him the reason they had invited themselves into his domain. Sadly though, this place would never entirely be his own. For it belonged to the former Ghost King who was now trapped once more in the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep thanks to the combined efforts of his new Master, the ghost child, and several of the ghost boys enemies whom the boy had somehow convinced to join him in battle against Pariah Dark.

After that, the ghost boy gained his respect as a capable warrior though the Fright Knight would one day still have his vengeance against Danny Phantom for daring to steal his sword. His honor demanded that he simply could not stand for being insulted in such a way and then humiliated by such an underhanded defeat. True, his sword was his greatest strength and weakness, but even so the Fright Knight longed to challenge the boy to a proper duel one day. No powers, just swords.

At any rate, those three feather dusters began rambling the moment that the Fright Knight loudly ordered them to speak at sword point or begone from his sight before he used their feathers to fletch ghostly arrows out of and offer them as a gift to Lord Aragon. Needless to say they spouted all sorts of nonsense about why the Fright Knight shouldn't follow through on his threat when finally one of them said something sensible!

" _Vait! Zhe boss said zhat if you vere too busy to come he vould make it vorth your while!" the second one screeched pathetically, not that the other two were any better since they had obviously been injured by something or someone along the way to his lair. They had now lost even more feathers when they began molting in fear when the black knight shot them out of the sky, thinking they were intruders until recalling that they were some of lord Plasmius's servants._

 _Sheathing his blade, the Fright Knight crossed his arms impatiently and sighed, "Very well curr, you have my ear now. Speak."_

 _Flying back up to eye level, the ghost bird coughed to clear his throat and relayed Vlad's other message. "Seeing as you eh...vere unsatisfied serving under the banner of zhe previous Ghost King, Pariah Dark, zhe boss wanted to know if perhaps you vould be interested in serving a more worthy King. You see, zhe necromancer child you've probably about is not only vell on his way to becoming Plasmius's sole heir in zhe human world, but zhat human...he-" he swallowed hard, suddenly very nervous which the Fright Knight sensed at once and raised a brow and stared at the bird expectantly, which allowed him to finally choke out "-carries the soul of Death's proxy. The first necromancer. And since ve all know necromancers can only control ghosts but zhey can destroy ghost permanently so uh...once he's strong enough then surely the boy could do zhe one thing that even Plasmius and the fancy pants ghost kid could not. Eliminate Pariah Dark. And vith him gone, this keep would finally be yours. Forever."_

With an evil smirk as he patted Nightmare's strong neck, the Fright Knight mused, "Now how could I possibly refuse an offer like that..?"


	24. The Soul's Pulse

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (02/16/2018):** Geez, the past four days have been extremely hard because my stepfather passed away unexpectedly so I am in desperate need of a distraction that doesn't involve talking to people, as much as I love my friends and family who have been supporting me through this whole thing. The previous chapter was posted the day it happened if only because I had already written it and wanted to give "frozenightmare" their birthday request of a new chapter. Needless to say...any further updates are going to be slow for awhile since I have to cope with the real-life death of a loved one. I really hope writing about a bunch of ghost characters doesn't bother me since I'm pretty sensitive about a lot of things right now. Sorry if this is tmi or too personal but it's an update nevertheless...

 **P.S.** Sorry there's no action yet like planned but I guess we're lucky I'm writing anything at all atm. Especially since I do have an important revelation about my own idea to portray to the rest of you concerning Owen's recent ghostly chills as it were that I came up with today out of the blue, I mean I've been thinking about how to explain it for awhile but after reading another chapter of "Checkmate" it suddenly hit me.

* * *

 _~Chapter 24~_

 _The Soul's Pulse_

* * *

If nothing else, Vlad could see that Owen was at least content knowing that his spell had done some good. Though, granted, the built up miasma that Vlad's darker feelings unknowingly created over the years was now serving as his shadow's main energy source. Even so, the laboratory and even the rest of the castle itself didn't carry the same...heaviness as before. To Owen, it was definitely noticeable and helped him relax a bit despite their current predicament. In fact Vlad smiled a secretly to himself when he saw Owen exhale a relieved sigh the moment the two of them entered the laboratory since of all the places in his castle this place was obviously the most corrupt...at least until his spell gathered it all in one place so Owen could purify it. That was the original plan at any rate.

Admittedly the proximity of Vlad's ghost portal still made the room much colder then unusual -at least to Owen- but hey if he had to choose between being cold and feeling such an oppressive dark aura, he'd take feeling cold any day. Then again, since those ghostly injections were causing an unfortunate side effect of giving him chills in his human body, Owen's sensitivity to anything of a ghostly nature was almost tenfold.

He didn't tell Vlad that though since they had bigger problems to deal with then figuring out why these side effects were so intense. Not that it stopped the elder half-ghost from noticing his son-to-be's discomfort which was beginning to become a cause for concern for the billionaire.

Surely they should have subsided by now, the side effects...

As for Vlad himself, since he was far more concerned about conserving the precious necroenergy Owen basically lent to him through his spell Vlad decided to remain in his human form during this...introduction. Vlad of course had every confidence that his first offer would intrigue the Fright Knight enough on its own so as to not require the need to remind the ghost knight to whom he served under. After their most recent encounter with Nocturne, Owen's role as a necromancer and Vlad Plasmius's new protege was more then likely already known throughout the vast reaches of the Ghost Zone. Especially by any of the the Ancient-class spirits that knew how Owen in particular is probably THE rarest type of necromancer there is who has tasted death yet is alive.

On top of that Owen was the last survivor of the oldest necromancer clan in the world, which as it turns out is also the source of all necromancers, the Ravenheart clan. Most ghosts probably also knew by now or at least hear the rumors that Owen's...unique powers -powers that set him apart from even among necromancers- make him an extremely valuable commodity especially to those who understood his true worth. Apart from the fact that pure form of ectoenergy that Owen naturally possessed could enhance ghostly powers to unimaginable levels and he could do what very few ghosts could, which is to completely destroy a ghost by crushing or absorbing their core, his soul, though it has been reincarnated many many times, still belongs to the one true heir to the Ghost King's throne...

It was amusing now to think that originally Vlad was only intrigued by Owen's immunity to being overshadowed when he was clearly human only to discover that that _'worth'_ Vlad was searching for not only exceeded his expectations...but it paled in comparison to his true prize. The prize that this boy, this clever, kind, extraordinary boy, WANTED to be his son now. Owen cared about him and from the start told him through his sensitivity to the aura's or hidden intentions he could sense in most ghosts that Vlad wasn't _'evil.'_ That's what he kept trying to tell Daniel all along, Vlad wasn't the villain, he just wanted someone to care about him because of who, not what, he was in all of its entirety.

Owen admitted of course that Vlad did scare him at first, but that was because this darkness reminded him of those wraiths killed his parents and in a sick way reveled in their darkness. Because yes, Vlad did know there was a darkness in him but it was justified after the way he was supposedly betrayed and abandoned by the few people he trusted. When he almost lost Owen though because his body was rejecting anything even remotely dark or negative, for the first time in his life Vlad regreted feeling so hateful. Especially if it was about to cost him the life of the one person who gave him a chance to prove what kind of man he was at heart and give Vlad a chance to become what he always wanted to be before he was turned into a half-ghost hybrid.

Namely, a father.

 _Vlad...?_ Owen thought unsurely, watching Vlad's expression change a little after awhile when they began waiting for this Fright Knight to arrive. Vlad could see and feel that Owen was starting to have second thoughts and more importantly he was shivering again, even in his necromancer form.

Giving the portal a thoughtful glance, Vlad sighed and strode over to the box which contained Owen's unused cape and took it out, draping it over the boy's shoulders. It really did look quite dashing and it wasn't even at full length like his own. It barely reached Owen's elbows. Even so, Owen smiled appreciatively and held the fabric close, crossing his arms over his chest, thankful that Vlad designed it to absorb heat and regulate it like his own powers did usually.

"Owen, I'm starting to worry. Your body should not be reacting this way," Vlad frowned, pulling the shivering boy close to share his human warmth. "If there was time I'd start creating some sort of antidote to at least delude the effects since it is healing you faster as intended. Are you sure you're alright?"

Owen shook his head, frowning now too, _I don't understand it either. Like you said, if it worked on you then it should have worked on me too right? After all, at the end of the day I'm still a ghost too right? I'm someone who has died and come back from the dead as someone new. And when I change forms I look different just like you and Danny so why do I feel like this...?_

He trailed off, wondering about that when his eyes wandered to one of the other undamaged benches were the vial of Skulker's ghostly hair, or rather the flames that served as his hair was still flickering wildly as if reflecting the untamed nature of it's owner. Transfixed by it for some reason Owen walked over to it and picked up the seemingly harmless vial. Without really thinking too much about it, Owen opened it and willed the flame into his other hand.

A gasp escaped his lips when Owen sensed the echoes of Skulker's memories and his mannerisms which gave him a better impression of the ghost he'd been too afraid to catch a glimpse of before. As if trying to distract himself Owen probed the sample of Skulker's flame for awhile, unaware that Vlad was watching him intently and felt what he was feeling through their temporary link. Fascinated by Owen's discovery regarding the ghost hunter's past, Vlad smirked and peered down at the small green flame in Owen's hand.

"You see my boy? I told you from the beginning he was nothing to fear. Skulker is many things, but he's loyal to those whom he respects and knows the folly of turning against me. In fact I went to him when I went searching for you in the Ghost Zone since he is one of the most knowledgeable ghosts I know in regards to the location of some of the older ghostly lairs and who resides there. Which reminds me that I still need to help you build up a better immunity to Nocturne's sleep induction powers in case he attempts to- what are you doing?" Vlad asked suddenly, noticing that Owen's fingers were now clenched around the flame as if it were a living thing desperately struggling to escape his grasp.

Driven by instinct to replace his depleted necroenergy, Owen found himself willing this energy in his hand to submit to his will and become a part of him. It terrified him and he tried to stop himself but the sudden need to purify this energy became too strong. And finally, his fingers snapped outwards again and there was an audible fwoosh as the toxic green flames became blue at the center with green edges before it wavered wildly for a moment more, struggling to turn green again until it gave in and turned completely blue. Once it looked no different then Owen's own flames, he curled his fingers to extinguish the flame and it went out. However, the energy of that flame made Owen glow a bit brighter for a moment before it resumed it's normal hue.

As if realizing what he'd just done,Owen staggered back and Vlad grasped him gently by the shoulders, feeling him trembling again but not because of the cold. Out of fear. It was roiling off of Owen like a thin black miss and for a moment Vlad was concerned it was the shadow messing with Owen again, intent on manipulating him even though it now had stolen a piece of Vlad's shadow instead.

"Well now, that was interesting," Vlad smiled as he spoke in a light tone hoping to defuse Owen's rising panic. "What possessed you do to that?"

Closing his eyes, Owen took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves before opening them again and replying out loud in a weak voice, "I don't know, it's just I've been feeling so...exposed ever since I created the other you with my powers. On top of that, those injections...they...yes they're helping me heal faster but...it feels like I'm surrounded by ghosts just like when I was in the Ghost Zone. But I can't escape the unknown _'presence'_ because it's in my own body-" he blinked, staring at his hand that he had used to _'convert'_ Skulker's ectoenergy into his necroenergy and remembering what he told Vlad earlier when he began performing the cleansing ritual...

 _"...I figured out something when I was reading about how to perform this type of cleansing. The reason I looked like Nocturne before when he poured his power into me, it's because I was trying to cleanse his spirit with my necroenergy. The only reason I couldn't to it then is because my own spirit and body were too weak. The same goes for Venom's poison which invaded my necromancer form when I left my body behind..."_

Then Owen suddenly remembered how felt both times he Astral Projected he felt so...raw and exposed. It was like he could sense anything and everything even remotely ghost-like in nature without any filters, excluding himself. There was a thin thread that tied him to his body but, when they were separated Owen could do everything a ghost can do, including flight and probably other things. In his necromancer form, it felt different. Sure his body would change accordingly but it didn't feel so much like he changed, but rather...allowed his inner-self, his necroenergy, to bleed out and convert his body into something else. Something...not human...

Vlad was about to reprimand Owen for straining his voice again when Owen unexpectedly burst out laughing which unnerved him to say the least and he whirled around, running a hand through his glowing hair. That's when Owen put the pieces together for Vlad and scoffed, "How could I have been so blind? Of course YOUR ghost remedies wouldn't work the same on me as they do on you, Vlad. Remember, unlike you and Danny I'm not HALF-GHOST, I'm..."

Trailing off Owen dropped his hand from his hair and looked directly into Vlad's eyes, wondering how he was going to the man something that neither of them could have guessed was the reason why Owen reacted so badly to both of the ghostly injections...until now. That's when Owen's troubled gaze drifted to the closed portal, already sensing something familiar and strong approaching but Vlad needed to understand this, because it was going to finally solve yet another mystery they've been wondering about for a long time. Something so simple and obvious it was totally unfathomable.

"Owen, it's alright," Vlad assured him with another smile, placing his hands behind his back as he too glanced at the portal, understanding that Owen was sensing something he couldn't yet at this range which meant whatever he was about to tell him it had to be either now or at a later date. "Nothing you say will make think any less of you. If you have figured out what went wrong then by all means, enlighten me. After all, I realize now that it was a mistake for me to assume that I understand everything regarding your necromancer form or that it works the same as my own interchangeable form as proven by my other self that you created. Just spit it out dear boy. Especially before I change my mind about punishing you for disobeying me and speaking when I specifically told you not to."

Nodding soberly, Owen lifted his hand again and said slowly, "We should have realized this sooner. This is why I can't do all of the same things you and Danny can do unless I Astral Project OUT of my body. It's because, like I said before, I'm not half-ghost. You already know that I've died before, Vlad, many times as many different people. And even though I'm alive right now and I was born human like everyone else...because of who I am I never stopped being a ghost, Vlad..." shakily, he placed a hand over his heart, which was glowing beneath his rib-cage for some reason the closer the Fright Knight came, and said in an eerily calm voice that bordered on some kind of somber resignation, "The Grimoire calls people like me _'Living Ghosts'_ for a reason. A reason I only just now finally understand. When I change, even just a small part of my body, it's actually the power inside of my soul taking it over. My powers may work together symbiotically, but they're not the same. Vlad, it turns out that...I'm my own ghost. "


	25. Love Is Fearless

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

 **Note (02/22/2018):** Sorry if I spooked you guys with the last note, I probably shouldn't have said anything about my current real-life drama. At any rate, the funeral was the day before last and I for one feel better finally giving my stepdad a proper goodbye. Now, I just have to start moving forward and it'll be alright since I have lots of friends and family who are here to support us. Anyways! While some things are still up in the air hopefully it won't be as stressful now so I'll be getting back to updating regularly, well I hope so anyway. So don't worry about me, I'm going to be fine and you guys can continue to enjoy the fanfic! And speaking of, here's a new chapter for you!

* * *

 _~Chapter 25~_

 _Love Is Fearless_

* * *

Vlad's eyes widened in shock at the revelation yet, he couldn't help but smile and exclaim proudly, "Owen you brilliant boy! You're right, how could I have missed something so obvious? This would also explain why other ghosts cannot possess you, that is unless you're physically or emotionally weak. And that is because you're already possessing yourself! Your blood naturally protects you in most cases against invasion yet should that fail you then your spirit, or necroenergy purifies the contaminate or converts and absorbs the invading presence just like you did with Skulker's flame sample just now. But wait, doesn't that mean..." suddenly troubled Vlad activated the lab's computer despite knowing they were expecting company and asked it upload Owen's medical files.

" _Medical files indicate that there were no known complications during the birth of Owen Ravenwood. Aside from several sensory problems that were later dismissed seeing as they were only behavioral the subject was completely healthy. The behavioral concerns are as follows according to his official medical records: the subject displayed an uncommonly strong sensitivity to cold temperatures, displayed a disturbingly quiet demeanor for a newborn, and the subject was often easily distracted by seemingly nothing in the immediate vicinity."_

Frowning a little while Vlad continued manually searching through the files to confirm this and asking the computer more questions, Owen said almost to himself since Vlad was so OBVIOUSLY too distracted to notice him, "I wasn't stillborn in this lifetime Vlad, if that's what you're worried about. I don't know how else to explain it but while I was born normally like everyone else, I'm like one of those people who have had their own near-death experiences. I've passed through The Veil, or what is known as the Ghost Zone now so that my soul could go to wherever it is we're supposed to go when we pass away and the final judgment is passed on us. Only unlike those people...even if I do die through natural causes or before my time I'm always sent back regardless. Sent back to be reborn and start my life all over again as someone else. The same soul, recycled over and over and over again." Looking away, Owen added sadly, "There is no heaven or hell for me, just this. Forever..."

Pausing when he heard Owen's last remark Vlad shut down the system again and took the troubled teen by his shoulders, giving him such a hard look that at first Owen thought he was mad until Vlad told him seriously, "Owen look at me. I understand that some part of you still is and will always long for a normal life. However, that is not who you are. You have lost more then I can ever imagine yet, at the same time it wasn't you that has suffered the other losses that you recall as if they too are branded onto your heart. Owen, your past lives, and even the losses you have suffered in this life as well, they do not define who you are now. I've seen who you are with my own eyes. I've seen your strength of will and courage as well as your innate cleverness all of which truly astounds me. Tell me, Owen Ravenwood, isn't _'just this'_ enough for you?"

Owen just stared blankly at him, confused when he felt a dark bitterness seep into Vlad's heart at his own words. Seeing this, Vlad nodded at their current surroundings and elaborated rather coldly and eloquently.

"Despite all of the set backs and close calls we've had, aren't you glad you took me up on that offer to come visit me so we could discover the truth about you and your powers...? More importantly before your life began spiraling out of control once again? With or without my help your powers would have begun to manifest themselves actively because of your coming of age as a necromancer. Imagine if you will what would have happened if you had indeed discovered your fire -no, your necroenergy powers- if you were still living in that orphanage? The results would have been disastrous. But now you have me, Vlad Masters, the most powerful man in the world as your ally. The ONLY man in this cruel world who is even remotely capable of helping you the way you need to be helped. Namely by someone who understands the true and rare nature of your very existence. The life you once knew, sad to say, was merely a prelude to the one you ultimately have here with me. I have and will offer you everything you could possibly desire. So long as you swear that you will become my one and only son, my heir. To think, before all of this, I never knew that the son I've always wanted -the one who would not only readily accept my love at its fullest and need me to guide them to become one of the most powerful beings imaginable- was waiting in that orphanage for little over two years, ripe for the picking who would not fight me every step of the way like Daniel. A part of me wishes I had found you sooner, but, my dear boy, you are everything I have ever dreamed of and more. As for your fear of what the future holds I promise you I will put an end to your endless cycle of suffering somehow if it is the last thing I do." Vlad sighed, realizing he was rambling and so he let go of Owen and sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose before putting his hands behind his back and giving Owen another harsh stare, "What I'm trying to say is, I'm grateful that you want to help me, however, since in this life you ARE just a teenager -one who I might add has lost far too much in the short 15 years you've been alive- I am asking you to trust that whatever I do now is for your own good. I told you this once before, I am no hero. I will never lie to you nor pretend to be. However, I am and will soon be your father, and like it or not that means I am going to do things you won't like. This is probably one of them."

Taking a step back from Vlad, Owen realized too late what he was about to do and whirled around when he finally sensed that the Fright Knight was there on the opposite side of the ghost portal. His senses were dulled because of how much power Owen put into his spell by mistake but he could tell that Vlad, behind the mask of sternness, was afraid of putting him in danger again. He didn't want Owen anywhere around this creature if it was as dangerous as a fully fledged wraith even though it was nothing more then the product of a dark spell, a curse, aimed at Owen whose purpose was to use him against the boy of it's prior intentions failed when Owen willingly absorbed it along with the miasma into his body.

"Vlad don't!" Owen pleaded, flinching when his heart pulsated again in response to the Fright Knight's presence. "I promised I wouldn't run away again didn't I? I thought you trusted me!"

Smiling warmly, Vlad strode over to the controls to his portal and responded, "I do trust you my boy. The one I don't trust, is myself. Regardless of which _'self'_ is in control right now."

Just as Owen was about to protest again Vlad opened the portal and Owen shuttered violently as a wave of unfiltered ectoenergy billowed past him and a high pitched neigh shattered the silence. And soon after a huge alicorn as black as ebony with large leathery bat wings, a curved horn, toxic green mane and tail, flaming hooves wreathed in a similar sheen green, a fanged maw, and gleaming red eyes took several proud strides forward so that it was between Vlad and Owen. And atop of the nightmarish steed -whose name was in fact Nightmare- sat none other then the Fright Knight himself, the Spirit of Halloween. His entire body was solid black, save for a pair of ghostly green eyes, and he wore similar black set of Greek-like armor with two dark steel pauldrons, silver -flame gauntlets, faulds adorned with a generic skull, greaves, a gorget around his neck, and a spiked barbute-style helmet wreathed in amethyst colored flames to match his similarly flaming cloak...

Turning his head towards Vlad who for whatever reason was in his human form, the Fright Knight smirked though it was difficult to see in the shadows of his helm due to his solid black form and called, "I have answered your summons my Lord, what are my orders? I have it on good authority that you would make it worth my while in the coming days." It was then that the Fright Knight's gaze turned to Owen who yes, he had sensed the moment the portal was in sight but actually seeing Owen in his necromancer form made the knight unexpectedly gasp and dismount his stead at once, striding over to Owen and falling to one knee, bowing his head in awe and respect. As a flood of old memories swelled within him, the knight mused, "So those three servants of Lord Plasmius spoke truly, you really are Death's proxy. I could not believe it at first but then I would not mistake this presence for anyone less. It is truly an honor to meet you once again, my liege. Though, admittedly I was not expecting you to be so...young once we finally did. No doubt one day we will ride together into battle once more, but for now I see that it must fall to my current Master, Lord Plasmius, to prepare you to face against a far greater foe then the ghost who dared claim your title! Forgive me, but in your absence I was forced to serve under the false Ghost King. We will rectify this someday, but sadly, today is not this day. Clearly you are not ready to face him let alone the source of your true fear, because you have yet to overcome all of your fears in order further shield yourself against her corruption. But fear not, for I will do what is required of me and test the fortitude of your heart. " And as he uttered those last words, the Fright Knight slowly began unsheathing his Soul Shredder.

"How did you...!" Owen began as he backed away from him when he was suddenly overwhelmed by a vision upon seeing the Fright Knight _'in the flesh'_ so to speak for the first time in centuries...

" _...if you must think of yourself as anything, to me you are the Fifth Horseman, the horseman of Fear. Your blade serves as a test to see if men can truly overcome their fears before they are consumed by them and plunged into eternal darkness. You are now and forever shall be known hence forth as the Spirit of All Hallows Eve. And as such it is your duty to test the hearts of men when the Veil is the thinnest in preparation for the day Lilith breaks free from her bondage. Should you fail to remember that, let this always serve as a reminder of the fealty you swore to me of your own free will on this very day," placing his hand on your average everyday pumpkin that had been symbolically carved to ward off other darker spirits, he continued with a sad smile, "Back then you were merely a wandering spirit trapped in one place without any purpose except for searching for your lost head. People even began calling you the Headless Horseman. It wasn't until the villagers actually summoned me to banish you once and for all after you claimed three victims in a single week that I discovered the truth and found a way to help you instead to break free from that endless cycle of mindlessly killing mortals in hopes of regaining the part of you that was stolen and lost forever. Your head. I simply had to remake you into something much greater. Something whole at long last. It cost me greatly but I have no regrets. Even so, my friend you are and forever will be a knight at your core, thirsting for the glory of open battle. That, I cannot change. As such I have no choice but to cast this curse upon you. I wish it wasn't necessary, but the power I've given to you will someday become a temptation to use for your own gain and claim power over the human world. It always does. But at least...with this blade you can satisfy that urge to slay your enemies and instead send them to a dimension built out of their own fears. I can only hope that this will be enough to prevent you from returning to that dark path once again once I depart from this world. Though I have no doubt we will meet again, perhaps even more then once. After all, I am also your King as well as your savior am I not...?"_

Owen shook his head, as if shaking off the memory and looked down at the knight with mixed feelings, forgetting all about Vlad until he spoke venomously. "What are you doing? That isn't what I summoned you here for! Put that thing away. What I need it for is entirely different."

Remembering himself, the Fright Knight's eyes narrowed and he did as Plasmius instructed without delay, turning back to face Vlad and bowing as he apologized calmly, "I did not mean to assume I knew your intentions, I apologize Lord Plasmius. But if I am not here to test the boy, then why have you summoned me? Unless...it is YOUR fears that my blade is to cleave?" Straightening up, he crossed his arms and responded to Vlad's silence with a frown, "It gives me no pleasure to bring forth a dimension of fear using my blade that is built out of the fear of losing a loved one. Even I find it repulsive. I have my duty, and more often then not forget myself after all these centuries but still, I am surprised that THIS is what makes you truly afraid. Surly someone of your caliber cannot be bound by such a baseless fear as that, can you?"


End file.
